First, please pause and take a deep breath.

Aaaaahhh.....

Good. Now we know there is and has been a lot of fear and anxiety circulating in our community. Our intention is for you to stay grounded. Make solid decisions that are rooted in science, so that you can make good choices for you and your family, especially as we move into the school season.

Coronavirus is similar to influenza and spreads through respiratory droplets when coughing and sneezing or rubbing your nose, eyes or mouth. Good hand- washing and hygiene can significantly decrease risk of transmission. Coronavirus is easily inactivated with standard soaps and disinfectants. (More info here). Wash your hands often with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable. Please remember to cleanse hands after using the bathroom, after blowing your nose or coughing, and before eating. And remember to cover your cough and sneeze with a tissue, or into your elbow if you don’t have a tissue.

Due to the increase of domestic cases, if you think that you have been exposed and have a fever with cough or shortness of breath, please isolate yourself from healthy persons, start self-care listed below and contact your provider immediately. Like most viruses, coronavirus can last up to 14 days. The first 7 days are usually the worst and being that it is a virus, antibiotics do not work. Below are some key recommendations for daily self- care that are paramount in illness prevention as we move into Autumn.

 

•Focus on SELF-CARE as much as possible. Your body’s immune system needs rest, quality sleep, good nutrition, gentle exercise, and stress management to function at its peak. These are our everyday recommendations. However, right now it is imperative to slow down and take good care of yourself and your children.

•Please make sure to have about 2 weeks of basic provisions at home if you fall ill and need to stay home to rest. This means having some basic food staples in your kitchen (soup, tea, crackers, veggies, eggs, etc.), pet supplies, some basic over the counter cold medicines, and tissues.

•Saltwater gargles and neti pots can break up mucus and soothe sore throats. Mix 1 tsp salt in 8 oz of warm water & use 3-5 times daily.

•Bone broth or veggie broth can bolster up your blood pressure and support the body’s increased need for fluids and electrolytes. Collagen is one of the building blocks of cellular repair & helps to feed the gut microbiome. Vegetable fibers also feed the microbiome and have some antibacterial/antiviral effects. Herbs like oregano & turmeric have antiviral/ antibacterial effects too.

•Raw honey is a natural cough suppressant and has antiviral/antibacterial effects. Dosage is .5-1 tsp every 8 hours. Do not give honey to kids under 1 year of age.

•Elderberry syrup is an excellent antiviral and is currently in season here in Michigan! A daily dosage is 1 tsp every 8 hours when ill. It can be found at the farmers market as well as most health food stores and pharmacies. 

•Sleep and rest are paramount to a speedy recovery. Please listen to your body, rest as much as you can and avoid exposing your family and co-workers. STAY HOME! If need be,your PCP can provide your work and/or school documentation for your absence.

•We typically recommend Vicks chest rub, Flonase or Nasocort for nasal congestion, Robitussin or Mucinex for cough. Avoid oral decongestants if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition. Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen can be helpful for fever and body aches. As always, your provider can help you decide which over the counter medicine would work best for you given your medical history.

•If you have symptoms more than 7 days that localize to one side of your face or one ear and the fever comes back, you may have developed a secondary bacterial infection that would benefit from antibiotics. In that case, please contact your provider for a video visit.

•If you are having severe coughing that disrupts your sleep despite use of over the counter medications, please contact your provider for a virtual visit. Again, they can also provide documentation for time off work to fully recover.

•If you experience severe shortness of breath or profound weakness where you cannot care for yourself, this may require hospitalization. Please contact your provider if you need help in deciding the level of care that you need.

Please continue to up level your self-care routine, take deep breaths and keep steady as we move through this pandemic, together.