Antibody Testing Now Available!
Dear Member,
As you know, New York and its surrounding areas have extended its stay at home mandate until May 15, 2020. Staying at home is definitely working at mitigating COVID-19. To get back to work, testing is what is needed next - especially antibody testing. We have been in close contact with the commercial labs to see when antibody testing will be more widely available and accurate. We have confirmed this morning that QUEST laboratories will be offering COVID-19 antibody testing. This test will ONLY let you know if you have had an infection in the past. It cannot be used to test if you have a current infection.
To limit our PPE supply, testing will only be designated in our office on certain days and times. This will be by appointment ONLY after being assessed by one of us through a virtual visit. Testing is recommended 14 days after an individual has had symptoms. You will be buzzed in at your designated appointment time to ensure social distancing and strict safety protocols in our office. Please do not walk in. This would put multiple people at risk. We request that you do NOT share the elevator (or any elevator) with others. If the elevator opens and someone is in it, wait for the next one. Patients MUST wear a mask to attend your visit.
For those of you who are outside of the city we will obtaining a list of Quest laboratory sites that you can go to with our requisition slip to be tested closer to you. They also have strict criteria for testing at their facility. To schedule a virtual visit to assess if you qualify for antibody testing, please email Nikenji at nikenji@flatironfamily.com. We will start this testing next week.
Will having antibodies protect you from getting COVID-19 again?: This disease is new to us. The world’s knowledge of this virus is only four months old. However, most infectious disease specialists expect that you will be protected for up to 2 years after infection. Alternatively, they feel that the immunity, even if low, will give you some protection. This makes a possible reinfection much milder and of shorter duration. This data is based on what they’ve seen in the past with SARS and MERS. These are both coronavirus infections as well. However, for now we do not know 100% if that holds for COVID-19. Our current recommendation is that once you have it and have recovered continue to protect yourself. Social distance yourself as usual when out of the home until more information becomes available on antibody immunity.
Gender differences: Men are twice as more likely than women to die of COVID-19 and account for over 60% of the cases worldwide. This was first noted in China and the pattern persists in all other affected countries. The reasons are not yet clearly understood. A few theories are being considered. Women have XX chromosomes and men carry XY and each X chromosome helps with the immune response thereby giving women a double dose of response to the virus. Another consideration is that men have more ACE receptors on their lungs which is what the COVID-19 virus latches onto once in the body. Researchers saw this similar response in SARS and MERS in the past - both coronaviruses as well.
Air Purifiers: Multiple patients and consumers are looking into purchasing air purifiers which is a great tool to eliminate hazardous viruses and bacteria. However, not all air purifiers are created equally. Several can actually transmit hazardous ozone emissions. Exposure to ozone irritates and inflames the lining of the respiratory system. This causes symptoms including coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and impaired breathing. Ozone can also worsen asthma symptoms and may contribute to the development of asthma. Elevated exposures to ozone can cause permanent lung damage and repeated exposure can even increase the risk of dying among persons already in poor health. Persons especially vulnerable to health problems from breathing ozone include children and those who already suffer from asthma or other respiratory diseases, including the elderly. California has one of the strictest guidelines to obtain certification by the California Air Resources Board. You can see their list of approved air purifiers here: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/air-cleaners-ozone-products/california-certified-air-cleaning-devices. We strongly suggest you use this guide prior to any purchases.
Pets: As we mentioned previously there is no known cases of pet to human transmission. There have been cases of human to pet transmission. Therefore, if you feel you have COVID-19, we recommend you wash your hands PRIOR to petting your dog/cat and to not cuddle with them as usual. This is to protect your pet.
Groceries: We are still receiving a lot of questions regarding cleaning groceries. We recommend online ordering when available. However, we realize these time slots are increasingly difficult to find. If you do go out, go with a list and alone. Do not bring family members with you. Wear a mask and wipe down the cart prior to use. Be strategic, quick, and keep your distance from others. If possible, use touch-less pay, such as Apple pay. If not, wipe down your credit card after use and do not touch your face until you are able to wash your hands. Grocery packaging can be wiped down with wipes or soap and water. Fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables can just be rinsed well in the sink as usual. We do not recommend using any disinfectant or soap on fresh produce. Remember to clean your counter after you are done cleaning your groceries. Wash your hands at the end again. If you live with someone who is high risk, then we also recommend showering and changing your clothes once back from errands. Again, be prepared and try to go as minimally as possible.
Pulse ox: We have been seeing reports of people with COVID-19 who feel more or less fine and have very low pulse oximetry numbers (50s/60s). Usually, if your oxygen saturation is under 90% you would be short of breath and have a hard time breathing. This hasn’t been the usual case with COVID-19. However, we do not want to have our patients get to low numbers without being aware. If you are worried you have COVID-19, check your pulse ox. Having your own pulse oximeter is best if you can get one. If you are worried about your results make a virtual visit with us and we will be happy to review them with you.
Recovery: We now see that the recovery for many who had COVID-19 is not necessarily linear. It can take weeks and weeks to get back to baseline. Many people report feeling better for a week and then taking another downturn. Despite being told the worst is over, there are definitely rebounding symptoms that will occur off and on for 1-2 months. This is common.
Thank you for continuing to keep your social distance and staying at home for now. If we lose control of this disease the numbers will climb up again and we will be back at square one. Thank you for all you are doing to flatten the curve.
Stay home and stay safe!
Flatiron Family Medical
@flatironfamily