Help Prevent the Spread of COVID19

The rapid onset of COVID-19, the "Corona Virus", has generated a lot of attention in the Magic Valley. These are strange times. Dr. Arrington wants to stress that preventative measures such as hand washing and social distancing should be taken seriously. We are also sensitive to the fears that many in our community have. We want to provide you with some information and suggestions that you can use to minimize the impact that COVID-19 might have on you and your household. Don't panic! We will all get through this together.

Although COVID-19 is a new virus strain in humans it is reasonable to draw comparisons to a common cold. It is more serious in the elderly and immune-compromised so precautions should be taken to prevent spread to those individuals. Many experts predict that a large portion of our population will eventually contract this disease. Fortunately, the mortality rate is likely less than 1% (we may not fully know since most patients will not get tested). Most people will experience mild congestion and cough, not unlike any previous cold. 

Ignoring common sense precautions and relying on your own immunity is not enough. We must be considerate of older generations, the immune-compromized, and those without adequate healthcare resources. We must all help to minimize the impact that more serious conditions have on the hospital system by decreasing the rate of transmission through preventative measures. As stated before, most people will not require medical attention, but let's do our part to decrease the load on our local hospitals.

Steps We Are Taking:

• The providers and staff at Blue Lakes Clinics will continue to practice frequent hand washing between patients.
• We will continue to cleanse our tables and treatment surfaces with hospital-grade disinfectants between patients.
• We are taking steps to modify our patient scheduling in order to minimize un-necessary wait times and interactions among patients.
• Finally, we ask patients with respiratory symptoms to remain at home and seek care at the hospital if symptoms worsen.

Additonal Steps You Can Take:

Take the time to eat a good diet, take supplements, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and a maintain a positive mental attitude. These steps can help you and your family strengthen your immune systems. Below is a list of supplements and lifestyle changes that we recommend to boost your immune system.

Dietary Suggestions:

• Hydration - Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day, not soda or coffee. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
• ​Decrease Inflammatory Foods - Reduce or eliminate refined foods such as white breads, pastas, and sugar.
• Intermittent fasting - Fasting has shown to boost immune function, improve healing, stimulate growth hormone production, and reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels.

Supplements:

• Elderberry - Helps prevent replication of the flu and reduces coughing. 
• Echinacea - Elevates white blood cell counts and enhances immune function. 
• Andrographis - Thought to have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antioxidant properties.
• Vitamin C - Increases white blood cell activity which helps destroy infection. 
• Garlic - Has antiviral and detoxification properties.
• Zinc - Supports a strong immune system. Zinc decreases with age, so it is very important for the older generation to supplement with this. 
• Vitamin A - One of its many functions is to strengthen the immune system. Researchers believe that it has a direct effect on viruses that cause the cold and flu.

General Precautions:

• Wash your hands - Be proactive in washing your hands!
• Cough or sneeze into your arm - This will catch most of the droplets that would otherwise be floating around in the air.
• Wear a mask - Especially if you experience any respiratory symptoms to prevent the outbound of germs.
• Don’t touch your face - This is hard! However, the easiest way to get sick is touching your eyes or mouth where germs spread fastest. 
• Hunker down, turn on Netflix/Disney+, and chill - Stay home if you experience any flu like symptoms. Remember, sharing is caring unless you are sick!
• Social distancing - Keep at least 6 ft of space between you and someone who is sneezing or coughing.
• Exercise regularly - Stress is a major factor that can weaken the immune system, so manage your stress through exercise.
• Get lots of rest - Lack of sleep can weaken your immune system and increase stress levels. 

Most importantly, we want you to take care of yourself. The best person that is best to take care of you, is you, but Dr. Arrington has your back!

Here are some helpful links from resources we trust about the corona virus:

https://www.coronavirus.idaho.gov

https://www.cds.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/