United States – Baystate – How to keep yourself safe from the COVID-19 illness

Updated on June 12, 2020

A message from your Baystate Heart Team:

We have a COVID-19 problem globally, nationally and regionally.  COVID-19 is particularly dangerous to older patients such as you and it is particularly prevalent in hospitals. So the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is to stay home, avoid close social contact and stay out of hospitals.

We want to protect you from COVID-19 while also taking care of your heart problems. Under normal circumstances we provide timely surgical care to insure the best outcomes from a cardiac perspective.

The current COVID-19 pandemic makes it necessary to carefully re-evaluate this approach to insure your safety. We as surgeons and cardiologists need to balance the COVID-19 risk with your heart risk and reach a compromise on the optimal time to schedule your operation. With that in mind, in an effort to minimize your exposure to COVID-19, it may be necessary  in some cases to postpone your operation if the heart risk is low. In other cases, if your heart situation is pressing and delaying surgery increases your heart risk, urgent surgery will need to be undertaken even in face of the COVID-19 risk.

While awaiting surgery if you experience any of the following symptoms which may be indicative of COVID-19 exposure, please notify our office immediately: cough, fever, running nose, shortness of breath, sore throat or change in bowel habits.

Please also notify us of any worsening heart symptoms such  as increasing frequency of chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, lightheadedness, ankle swelling etc.

We appreciate your understanding during this difficult time and want to assure that all efforts are being taken to insure your safety at Baystate Health. We thank you for your trust and the privilege of participating in your care.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is a new illness that causes lung infections. COVID-19 is part of a large family of viruses that include both the common cold and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)⁵.

The virus was first discovered in late 2019⁵ and has since spread to countries all over the world. The World Health Organization calls the world-wide spread of an illness a “pandemic”. The world is now working together to stop the illness from spreading further.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The most common symptoms are⁵:
Other symptoms include⁵:
Most people who catch COVID-19 have mild symptoms. They can safely recover at home without any medical help. For every 6 people who catch COVID-19, 1 will have trouble breathing⁵.
People who have a higher chance of getting serious symptoms are⁵:
Examples of long-term health problems are diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, liver disease and cancer.
This means that you have a higher chance of having serious symptoms if you catch COVID-19.
Call your surgery team and your family doctor if you have these symptoms:
  • Fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher
  • Dry cough
  • Trouble breathing
This could be a sign of COVID-19 or other serious health problem⁵. Your local healthcare teams can help you manage this. If you think it is not safe to wait, visit your local emergency room or call 911. If you call 911, tell them that you may have COVID-19.

How does someone catch COVID-19?

The most common way to catch COVID-19 is from someone else who has it.
There are a few ways that this can happen⁵:

How do I protect myself and my family from COVID-19?

There are a few things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones:

How will my surgery team protect me from COVID-19?

Your surgery team cares deeply about your health. They are working hard to balance your safety between catching COVID-19 and your heart problem. Your healthcare team will be making some changes to your surgery care plan to help with this.

Here are some things they may do to protect you:
Check your email and phone messages daily so you do not miss any hospital messages. Your healthcare team will talk to you about your safest options. Together, you will come up with a plan to keep you safe and healthy.
Call your surgery team if you notice new or sudden:
  • Angina (chest pain)
  • Trouble breathing
  • Heart beat that is not normal
  • Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
  • Swollen ankles
These could be signs that your heart problems are getting more serious. Your healthcare team will help you manage this.

How can I prepare my family?

Make a household plan. Make sure you have enough normal daily items for 2 weeks⁴. This includes medicines, food, drink and other household items. Know your local food delivery options.

Make plans for childcare, pet care, and working from home. This will help in case you start feeling sick. Call your older family members, friends and neighbours to make sure they have enough supplies.

Click here to learn more about household planning.

What should I do if I think I have COVID-19?

If you have mild symptoms such as a runny nose, tiredness or sore throat, stay at home and practice self-isolation until you recover. Self-isolation means staying away from all people. This will help protect everyone around you.
To help protect other people you should:
Most people can recover safely at home without any medical help. Staying at home will prevent your healthcare teams from getting overwhelmed. Help them make sure they have enough resources to care for the sickest people in your neighbourhood.

Click here to learn more about taking care of yourself and when to stop social isolation.
Call your surgery team and your family doctor if you have these symptoms:
  • Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
  • Dry cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny nose
  • Trouble breathing
  • Diarrhea
This could be a sign of COVID-19 or other serious health problem5. Your local healthcare teams can help you manage this. If your symptoms are getting worse and you do not think it is safe to wait, visit your local emergency room or call 911. If you call 911, tell them that you may have COVID-19.
Call 911 or go to your local emergency room if you have these symptoms:
  • Severe trouble breathing (hard to take a breath or speak in single words)
  • Severe chest pain
  • Sudden onset of confusion (not knowing what is going on around you)
  • Fainting
  • Blue lips or skin
These symptoms need medical attention right away⁶. Your local healthcare teams can help you manage this.

Where can I learn more about COVID-19?

Myth Busters
World Health Organization
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Managing Stress and Anxiety
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Phones Numbers for State and Local Health Departments
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Updates:

References:

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Get Your Home Ready.”  Last modified March 18, 2020.
    www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/get-your-household-ready-for-COVID-19.html
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): How to Protect Yourself.”  Last modified April 4, 2020.
    www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): What To Do if You Are Sick.”  Last modified March 18, 2020.
    www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html
  4. Government of Canada. “How to isolate at home if you have COVID-19” Last modified March 18, 2020. www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/covid-19-how-to-isolate-at-home.html
  5. World Health Organization. “Q&A on coronaviruses (COVID-19).“ Last modified March 9, 2020. www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): When to Seek Medical Attention.”  Last modified April 13, 2020. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html#warning-signs
  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Symptoms of Coronavirus.”  Last modified March 20, 2020.
    www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
  8. Wolters Kluwer. “Understanding COVID-19 and How to Stay Safe”. Last modified April 8, 2020. https://ce-vid.wolterskluwer.com/watch/ujhaiwHWqpb2dEQBx5UqgL?
  9. World Health Organization. “When and how to use masks.“ Last modified June 8, 2020. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks