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Email I received today from Banner Health.
As we learn more about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is important to follow the guidelines laid out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What we know now is that COVID-19 is transmitted through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Getting sick from these droplets requires a close proximity to an infected person, or touching a surface that might have a droplet, then touching your mouth, nose and possibly eyes.
Because of this, surfaces and objects are the major way that the virus is spread, and so the main means of prevention should be handwashing, avoiding touching your face and avoiding close contact with people who are sick. Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces is also suggested. As of now, masks are not recommended for protection against COVID-19. Masks should only be worn by some health care professionals and patients being screened and receiving care for COVID-19, to protect other patients and health care workers.
Banner Health has developed a process to safely screen patients for COVID-19 in our primary care clinics. In order to be screened in one of these clinics, patients would need to meet CDC criteria for testing. This can be determined through a phone conversation with one of our team members. If you or a loved one has concerning symptoms, please call your primary care doctor’s office to discuss your symptoms and determine if in-person evaluation or testing is necessary. If you do not have a primary care doctor and would like to establish care with Banner, visit our Find a Doctor tool on BannerHealth.com . Patients that meet criteria for further in-person evaluation or testing will be scheduled for an appointment to be seen at one of our clinics and provided with instructions for how to safely enter the building in cooperation with the on-site medical team.
Thank you for being the most important part of what we do.
Banner Health
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