COLUMN: Use trusted resources for COVID-19 information
Bridget Kenny RN, BSN Community Health Liaison Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville
MARYVILLE, Mo. — It has been a few weeks since Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville has provided a written COVID-19 update from the standpoint of the medical profession.
We would like to share the latest statistics as well as protective measures to take, and information about available treatment options in the case that you are infected with the virus.
According to the 7-day positivity rate reported on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, Nodaway County is still under HIGH alert with a positivity rate around 39 percent.
The good news is that we notice that the amount of positive cases has begun to trend down slightly from immediately after the holiday season.
We also notice that several of you have decided to take matters into your own hands and are using great measures to protect yourself: more than half of Nodaway County residents over 5 years of age have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Many of you are also heeding the CDC’s recommendation to wear a mask in public while the transmission risk is at its highest. Wastewater samples show that omicron is currently the most prevalent of the COVID-19 variants in our region. Unlike previous variants, the Regeneron and BAM infusions are ineffective in the treatment of the omicron.
However, there are still a few different treatment options available, and providers will follow certain criteria to determine if an individual is eligible based on age, health status, treatment availability and number of days since onset of symptoms.
One of the most important considerations to improve outcomes is to seek treatment as early as possible. Early symptoms of the most recent variant can be very similar to allergies or the common cold and are frequently overlooked until the virus spreads throughout the body and causes the more severe symptoms.
By that time, some treatment options are no longer available as the recommendation is to begin within the first several days of symptom onset. For instance, your provider may feel that the antiviral Remdesivir infusion is a good option for you. It is most effective when started in the first few days of symptoms and more specifically should be initiated by the seventh day.
Consequently, if someone waits until day six to see their physician and infusion appointments are unavailable on day seven, the options for treatment are decreased. In addition to the treatment recommended by your provider, individuals are encouraged to drink plenty of water (100 fluid ounces per day is recommended for adults) and refrain from inactivity for long periods of time. Following these two simple directions can help prevent severe complications of COVID-19.
Finally, we would just like to remind you to use trusted resources when making decisions about your health care. Your provider is likely one of the most valuable resources. He or she can guide you to make informed decisions regarding your health care.
We also recommend websites providing information based on evidence. Trusted sources include the National Institutes of Health, the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration and other websites that end in .org.
Please do not look to social media and hearsay from other sources to guide your health care decisions.
