Moving Forward 2020
MOVING FORWARD……Over the last couple of weeks, government agencies have started to gradually allow the reopening of business establishments. Although strategically devised, the move towards “normalcy” can still be daunting. Reopening California requires all of us to move forward together by continuing to practice what we have learned over the past few months– the importance of social distancing, wearing a mask when in public and being diligent about prevention hygiene.
Many of our allergy patients did surprisingly well during quarantine (despite the high pollen counts), likely because they had control of their home environment. Prior to resuming work outside of the home, it is important to make sure that your workplace has developed and implemented a plan to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19. These plans should be maintained and revised regularly, as recommendations are constantly changing.
What to possibly expect:
Employees will likely be six feet apart, with physical barriers to separate them. Social distancing will also need to be enforced in elevators, meeting rooms and break rooms.
Carpools will likely be discouraged.
Work stations, keyboards, telephones, handrails, printers and copiers, drinking fountains and doorknobs will need to be sanitized regularly.
A section of CDC Guidelines for reopening buildings have also made additional recommendations. Before returning to work, it is important that you check with the Environmental Resources Department in your workplace to ensure that these measures have been implemented. This is especially important for patients with allergies and asthma.
The CDC recommends:
Offices that have been closed for several months should be checked for mold or sources of water intrusion, before the HVAC system is turned on.
Offices should make sure that their HVAC systems are working optimally and that the filters have been replaced.
Our Office
As many of you have experienced, our office has kept up to date with the guidelines set forth by county and local authorities, as well as the CDC and the World Health Organization, to limit the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to limit the number of patients in our waiting room and we will continue to screen each individual (including temperature checks) walking into the office. In addition, we have purchased machines that supply aerosolized disinfectant (all natural, non-toxic, hypoallergenic) which kills COVID particles that may be circulating in the air; this will enable us to more thoroughly disinfect our exam rooms after every patient visit so as to further protect our patients and staff. This pandemic has taught us many things, one of them being the importance of preventative care. Remember, as your mother may have taught you: “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure!”