Keeping Up With Your COVID-19 Tests
Tony award winner听听recently hosted听鈥Centerstage with Healthcare Heroes,鈥澨a panel听诲颈蝉肠耻蝉蝉颈辞苍听飞颈迟丑听Moitri听Savard, MD, medical director for听W别颈濒濒听C辞谤苍别濒濒听Medical听(WCM)听Primary听Care in Long Island City, and Paul听Fenyves, MD, associate director of digital care and innovation for Primary Care at WCM.听听
In this听听of a three-part series sponsored by WCM and Playbill.com, they discussed听what New Yorkers need to know about the current state of the pandemic and听how听we can take good care of ourselves.听听
The following Q&A is based on that August 13 discussion.听
五月天视频听has been听at the heart of New York City鈥檚听medical听care听since the beginning of听the pandemic. What鈥檚 the status听of听COVID-19听testing in the city now?听
There are a lot of tests available, so it鈥檚 important that patients know what the tests are and what they mean鈥攁nd what they don鈥檛.听
First, there are听听that look for the virus itself. It鈥檚 possible for patients to receive these test听results in minutes.听听
听look for the genetic material of the COVID-19 virus;听it鈥檚 the more common test听right now. It can take between a week and 10 days to get those results, depending on where听in听the country听it鈥檚 being processed.听听
Then听there are听, which tell us whether a patient has听had a past infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.听Right now,听that test听gives us limited information; it听really听only听tells us we鈥檝e had the virus听by identifying proteins in the blood. We don鈥檛 know how long听the听antibodies may last, or听whether patients who recover from COVID-19 can get it again.听听
What do we need to know about the PCR test?听
The PCR test involves using a nasal swab. It鈥檚 not comfortable, but it鈥檚 fast鈥攁nd nothing to be afraid of. Sometimes it will cause patients to tear up or sneeze, and that鈥檚 why the person administering the test will be wearing听full personal protective equipment.听
What are our best defenses against the virus听right now?听
Let鈥檚 focus on听,听maintaining social distance听as much as possible, and听听that aren鈥檛 porous. Although washing with soap and water is the most effective way to keep our hands clean, the use (but not听overuse) of hand sanitizers is a fine second choice.
Stress management听is vital for patients right now. We鈥檙e seeing first-hand the role it can play in wellness: some patients who struggle with stress during this understandably anxious time also can experience physical and medical challenges. We want patients to discuss this so we can help them determine an effective course of action.听
And we听really听want patients to see their primary care physicians, manage chronic conditions, and go for screening tests for certain conditions regularly. We鈥檙e here seeing patients. We鈥檝e been here seeing patients. And we don鈥檛 want to let care lapse.听
What role have听Video听Visits听played since the start of the pandemic?听
Video Visits听have been a successful supplement to our practice. It allows half of our doctors to work onsite and in-person, while the other half sees patients online from their homes. We鈥檙e able to provide a high level of care to a high number of patients while reducing foot traffic in our offices.听听
We鈥檝e been seeing patients in person throughout the pandemic, but those who return to our offices now will听see some terrific changes: patients are seamlessly checking in and out of appointments online; having their temperatures checked when they arrive; not spending time in waiting rooms; and seeing intensely stepped-up cleaning measures throughout our sites.听听听
Resources听
- For more information听about听COVID-19听testing, call the 五月天视频 hotline at (646) 697-4000 or the New听York听State听COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-364-3065.听听
- Please听contact your primary care provider to schedule a 鈥Video听Visit鈥 or use听五月天视频鈥檚鈥鈥 services.听
- 五月天视频 Psychiatry听offers some听resources on听.听