Public Notice to Patients of Theodore Medical

Coronavirus: COVID-19

Theodore Medical wishes to reassure our community that we are committed to protecting your health and our community during this time. We have decided to see all patients with either suspected COVID respiratory symptoms OR other respiratory symptoms  in a separate area.

To accommodate this we have arranged

• A separate dedicated assessment and treatment area in the Labour Ward area at Theodore Hospital
• A separate dedicated entrance via side ramp to the Labour ward with seating and Rotary Shade Shelter
• Appropriate supplies of Personal Protective Equipment to keep both yourself and staff protected

We ask that patients please follow these instructions when requesting an appointment:

If you, have travelled overseas recently or have been in direct contact with someone who has COVID-19 and you have signs and symptoms of a respiratory illness

OR

You have the signs/symptoms of an other respiratory tract infection like a sniffly nose, cough, fever and/or sore throat:

1. Please phone Theodore Medical on 4993 1371 FIRST to discuss your symptoms with reception staff
2. DO NOT attend the surgery
3. DO NOT attend for LOOP if you have any of these signs/symptoms,
4. If you do present to the surgery, you will be given a surgical mask and asked to wait outside in the dedicated area
5. Once you have phoned the surgery the reception staff will advise you that our intern or one of our medical students will phone you back to discuss your health status and then plan with you and one of our doctors whether
   • The telephone advice is enough
   • You need to be seen because
     • You meet the criteria for corona virus testing and need testing
     • You need to be seen for face to face review, possibly other testing and possibly treatment
6. If you do need to be seen, we will arrange with you a time to present for this further assessment
7. All patients will be seen at the Labour Ward for further assessment and appropriate testing.
8. Please take a seat outside in the designated area and put on the supplied mask
9. A staff member from Theodore Medical will meet you outside Labour Ward and begin your assessment and if allowed, testing
10. If you need treatment or other testing we will arrange this
11. We can arrange dispensing of the medication at the chemist or Theodore Medical and appropriate payment

Who can be tested for COVID19?

The Australian Chief Medical Officer Dr Bredan Murphy and the Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young have advised  that the only people who have been affected so far in Australia,  are those who have been overseas or those in contact with someone who has acquired COVID from someone who has been overseas.

So the Government criteria for testing are:

1. COVID19 testing (including healthcare workers) should only occur if they have:

1. • fever OR respiratory symptoms AND
   • travelled overseas within the previous 14 days, OR
   • had recent close contact (previous 14 days) with a confirmed case of COVID-19 OR
   • severe community-acquired pneumonia requiring admission with no other identifiable cause.

WE CANNOT TEST YOU FOR COVID UNLESS YOU MEET THESE CRITERIA.

What is the risk to children?

Children are NOT at risk of complications from COVID but can transmit the infection.

What about if I am at risk, if I get COVID?

Groups at greater risk of complications if they contract COVID

Some people are more susceptible to complications from viral infections such as COVID 19, including the following:

• are over the age of 70
• are Indigenous and over the age of 50
• Have a chronic disease or are immune compromised
• Are pregnant
• Are a parent of a child under 12months

If you belong to one of these categories, are currently well and need an appointment for something simple (script, referral etc) we can arrange consultation with a doctor via phone, skype or other video-link in preference to you attending the surgery in person.

If this applies when you are making an appointment, let us know and we will arrange a phone telehealth consultation.

How do I keep myself safe?

In order to help keep yourselves and your loved ones safe, please practise good hand hygiene , avoid touching your face and ensure that if you cough/sneeze that you do so using a tissue and discard into a closed bin straight away

Summary

To ensure that our community remains healthy and safe we need you to follow these instructions.

Queensland Government: Novel coronavirus (COVID-19)

Feeling unwell? If you develop a fever, a cough, sore throat or shortness of breath within 14 days of overseas travel, contact a doctor or call 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84).

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Department of Health: What you need to know about coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus. Symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat and shortness of breath. The virus can spread from person to person, but good hygiene can prevent infection. Find out who is at risk and what you should do if you think you have COVID-19.

Read full article