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For the foreseeable future, the preventative measures installed throughout the healthcare community to prevent the spread of coronavirus spread arent expected to go anywhere.

That, at least, is the prediction by those in local medical and senior care industries for the coming weeks and months as Tuscaloosa begins its slow crawl back to pre-COVID-19 conditions.

"I just think theres a lot of unknowns," said Dr. Phillip K. Bobo, "and the next month to month-and-a-half will be critical."

Bobo, a founding partner of Emergi-Care Clinic who has worked in the fields of emergency and family medicine for more than four decades, said he expects society to slowly return to normal as long as people believe it to be safe.

And that, he said, will take a while as many wait to see whether reopening restaurants and non-essential businesses will lead to a sharp increase of coronavirus cases.

"Theyre going tend to stay away from places that they think there will be a high likelihood of contact restaurants, obviously; all medical: hospitals doctors office, clinics, surgery centers all of those are going to have a slow comeback, I think," Bobo said. "If theres a second surge, then we dont know. If theres not a second surge and we survive it and we get into the fall (and) if theres no surge and people are doing better and were out functioning more and we have events ... I think itll come back more rapidly."

Until then, those needing medical procedures can expect to undergo scrutiny and safety measures. And those wanting to visit will still have to wait.

At DCH Health Systems Northport Medical Center and Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, visitation either has been limited or not allowed at all.

Andy North, the hospital systems vice president of marketing and communications, said a number of preventative measures have been put in place since the coronavirus awareness took hold in early- to mid-March. These include universal masking of staff, physicians and visitors, temperature checks of everyone prior to entry, Plexiglas sneeze guards installed at most points of consumer interaction and, on most days, remote site screening services.

And while the Alabama Department of Public Health allowed elective surgeries to resume on May 1, there are currently no plans to relax these measures and, if necessary, the additional services may be halted.

"As a safeguard, the results of a COVID-19 test will be obtained on each patient prior to proceeding with the surgery," North said. "In addition, the current no visitation policy and processes will remain in place for now.

And in places where people are at risk, professionals are getting creative.

While no positive coronavirus cases have been reported at the Crimson Village assisted living facility off 18th Avenue East, Executive Director Rebecca Dennis said she intends to keep it that way.

"The biggest thing were up against right now is these residents are lacking the socialization," she said.

To provide some level of interactivity, Dennis said Crimson Village officials have taken to providing FaceTime conversations with residents and their relatives or bringing residents to windows to see their families through the safety of glass.

But, for now, there are no plans to allow face-to-face interactions like those that took place before the coronavirus arrived.

And, Dennis said, shes not sure when -- or if life will return to normal for Crimson Village seniors.

"Right now, Im not letting them come any closer than the front door," Dennis said. "And as far as physical contact, I dont think the health department or CDC is going to permit families to come in and do huggings and touchings any time soon.

"I know its going to continue for the next few weeks and probably several months. Whats the old saying? Well just have to play it by ear."

Read more:
Healthcare precautions likely to persist for near future - Tuscaloosa News

This entry was posted on May 29, 2020 at 1:45 pm and is filed under Preventative Medicine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |