December 1 is observed as World AIDS Day, which is dedicated to increasing awareness about AIDS and HIV. AIDS is a global pandemic that began in 1981 and has persisted as an international public health issue.

Since the pandemic began, an estimated 40 million people worldwide have died from AIDS. In addition, an estimated 37.7 million people are currently living with HIV. In the United States, an estimated 1.2 million people 13 and older are infected with HIV. About 13 percent — one out of seven— don’t know they’re infected and need to be tested.

HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is an infectious germ that attacks the body’s infection-fighting immune system. Specifically, it attacks and destroys a type of white blood cell called CD4 cells. These cells help coordinate the immune response to bacteria and viruses by stimulating other immune system cells to fight the germs.

When CD4 cells are compromised, the immune system doesn’t work properly. As a result, the person become susceptible to other illnesses called opportunistic infections. Without treatment, HIV gradually destroys the immune system and will progress to AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

HIV is spread through contact with certain body fluids of people infected with the virus. These body fluids include blood, semen, preseminal fluid, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids and breast milk. In most cases, HIV is spread by having unprotected anal or vaginal sex or by sharing drug equipment, such as syringes and needles, with an infected person.

The body can’t rid itself of HIV, and there’s cure for the infection. Once infected with HIV, a person has it for life.

Many people feel no symptoms during the first few months after infection and may not know that they’ve been infected. Others experience flu-like symptoms within two to four weeks after becoming infected with HIV. This time frame is considered Stage 1, or acute HIV infection.

Possible symptoms include fever, chills, rash, night sweats, muscle aches, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes and mouth sores. Some people experience no symptoms and do not feel sick during this stage. As the disease progresses, symptoms may expand to include weight loss, diarrhea and cough.

Even with symptoms, the only way to know for sure if someone been infected with HIV is to get tested. There are several types of tests available from a doctor’s office, hospital or community health center. There are even HIV tests you can take at home.

If you suspect that you’ve been exposed, get tested.

Stage 2 is chronic, or asymptomatic. During this stage, the virus is still active but not reproducing as quickly. A person often has no symptoms during this stage but can still spread HIV to others. Without treatment, this stage can last for 10 years or more before progress to Stage 3, which is AIDS.

A diagnosis of AIDS is made if the CD4 count drops to less than 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood. (A normal count ranges from 500 to 1,500.) AIDs may also be diagnosed if certain opportunistic infections develop. These include pneumocystis pneumonia, a lung infection; Kaposi sarcoma, a skin cancer; cytomegalovirus, which typically affects the eyes; tuberculosis, which mainly infects the lungs; and candidiasis, a fungal infection.

HIV is treated with a combination of medications known as antiretroviral therapy (ART). In most cases, ART suppresses the HIV so that it is undetectable in the blood. The amount of the virus in the blood is called the viral load. People with HIV that take ART as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load can live long, healthy lives and will not spread HIV to uninfected partners through sex.

In the US, most people with HIV don’t develop AIDS because ART stops the progression of the disease. Although an AIDS diagnosis indicates severe damage to the immune system, ART can still help. Without treatment, however, people with AIDS typically survive about three years.

To help prevent HIV and AIDS, use a latex condom during vaginal, anal or oral sex, and never share needles to inject drugs.

There are other ways to prevent HIV, including preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication taken daily if at risk for infection. Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is medication taken within 72 hours of possible exposure to prevent the virus from taking hold.

If you do become infected with HIV, take your ART and visit your doctor as recommended. Remember; ART enables people with HIV to live healthy, productive lives. It also serves to prevent further spread, reducing the risk of onward transmission by 96 percent.

Patti DiPanfilo

As the number of COVID-19 cases in this country continues to surge, there has been a rush of Americans seeking to get tested for the coronavirus that causes it. If you’re considering testing but are confused about the various types of tests and what they do and when to get them, here’s a brief overview that might help.

The first thing you need to understand is that there are different types of tests that are used at different times. Certain tests are used to detect if you are currently infected with SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and there are different tests that can determine if you’ve already had the virus.

If you want to know if you are currently infected, there are two types of tests: molecular tests and antigen tests. Molecular tests are typically performed using nasal swabs or throat swabs, but some test saliva or another bodily fluid. Molecular tests look for genetic material that can only come from the virus, which will be present if you are infected.

Antigen tests, which are done using nasal or throat swabs, identify antigens from the virus. Antigens are protein fragments that initiate an allergic response in the body. Antigen tests are more likely to miss an active COVID-19 infection compared to molecular tests. It may be recommended that you get a molecular test if your antigen test is negative but you have COVID-19 symptoms, which include cough, shortness of breath and fever.

You can get these tests from your doctor or state or local health department. Most states have set up testing centers throughout the community to provide easy access for residents. Many centers offer the rapid COVID-19 test, which is an antigen test that provides results the same day as opposed to the 3-5 day wait time for most nasal swab tests. The FDA has also approved a COVID-19 home testing kit.

On the other hand, antibody tests look for antibodies to the virus in your blood, which may indicate that you’ve previously been infected by the coronavirus. Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system that help fight foreign invaders such as viruses. They may help ward off future attacks by the viruses and keep you from getting the diseases they cause a second time.

Unfortunately, researchers are uncertain about how much immunity antibodies to the coronavirus provide against getting COVID-19 again. Research suggests that coronavirus antibody levels may wane over just a few months. Confirmed and suspected cases of reinfection have been reported, but remain rare. Researchers are working to better understand this phenomenon.

Antibody tests are not a good way to determine if you are currently infected with the coronavirus because it can take 1-3 weeks after infection for your body to make antibodies. You may test negative but have an infection in its early stages. Further, you can test positive for antibodies even if you had an asymptomatic infection.

Antibody tests are available through your doctor or a verified laboratory. Typically, results are available within a few days.

The tests for COVID-19 are new and it’s unclear how accurate they really are because there are no “gold standard” tests to compare them to. In addition, these tests were made available by Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA. Under an EUA, the makers were permitted to market the tests even though they didn’t receive formal approval due to a public health emergency.

Studies show that the rate of false negative results with molecular tests vary depending on how long the infection has been present but ranged from 20 percent when testing was performed five days after symptoms began to up to 100 percent when testing was done earlier in the infection. False negatives are more common with antigen tests, which is why they are not favored by the FDA as a single-use test for active infection.

The reported rate of false negatives with antibody tests ranges from 0 to 30 percent depending on the research study and when in the course of the infection the test was done. Having an antibody test too soon after infection can lead to false negative results.

Most people who develop COVID-19 have a relatively mild form of the disease and don’t need any special treatment or hospitalization. In addition to symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath, they may also experience a sore throat and tiredness that may last one to two weeks. Other people who are infected may be asymptomatic.

But for some people, COVID-19 is a severe illness that requires hospitalization, sometimes in an intensive care or special COVID unit. The risk for this is higher for people who are older and have chronic health conditions such as diabetes.

Whether you test positive or negative for the coronavirus, take steps to protect yourself and others. Wash your hands often, avoid close contact with others, cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others, cover coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect, and monitor your health daily. And follow CDC guidelines if symptoms develop.

World AIDS Day, which is observed on December 1^st, was created to unite people worldwide in the battle against HIV and AIDS. It’s also a time to show support for people who have the virus and commemorate those who have died from it. World AIDS Day serves as a perfect opportunity to review what we know about HIV and AIDS.

HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, is a virus that attacks your body’s immune system, specifically its infection-fighting CD4 cells. If your CD4 cells are depleted, you become more susceptible to other infections and diseases. Your body cannot eliminate HIV and there is no cure for its infection, so once you get the virus, you have it for life.

HIV is spread through contact with the body fluids of someone who is infected with HIV. These body fluids include blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids and breast milk. In the US, HIV is spread mainly by having anal or vaginal sex without a condom, or sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs with someone who has HIV.

Some people develop flu-like symptoms within two to four weeks after HIV infection, which is considered stage 1, or the acute infection stage. The common symptoms during this stage, which include fever, chills, skin rashes, night sweats, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes and mouth sores, may last a few days or several weeks.

If you experience any of these symptoms and suspect that you’ve been exposed to HIV, see your health care provider and get an HIV test to determine for sure if you’ve been infected.

If you have HIV and don’t begin treatment right away, your condition can progress into stage 2: the chronic, or clinical latency, stage. During this stage, your HIV is still active, but is reproducing at a slower rate, so you may not experience any symptoms. Without treatment, this stage can last for a decade or longer. But in some people, it progresses more rapidly.

The third and most serious stage of HIV is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. You are considered to have AIDS when your number of CD4 cells falls below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood  (a healthy count is between 500 and 1,500 cells/mm³) or when you develop one or more severe illnesses called opportunistic infections even if your CD4 count is above 200.

These opportunist infections, which include recurrent pneumonia, tuberculosis, brain and spinal cord disease, various lung infections, chronic intestinal infection, cytomegalovirus, salmonella and toxoplasmosis, remain a major cause of death in people with AIDS.

Without treatment, people with AIDS typically survive about three years. But if they contract a dangerous opportunistic infection, their life expectancy without treatment drops to about one year. Treatment with HIV medication at this point can still help and may even be life-saving, but beginning treatment as soon as you learn you have HIV gives you the best possible outcome.

There’s only one way to know for sure if you have HIV and that’s to get tested. There are several  types of tests, such as tests that look for antibodies and antigens in your blood, that you can get through your health care provider. Tests are also available at most medical clinics, community health centers and hospitals. Further, home testing kits are available at your pharmacy or online.

Home HIV testing is an especially valuable tool today, as many people are unable to visit their providers or an outpatient clinic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Treatment for HIV is a combination of medications called antiretroviral therapy, or ART. People on ART follow a regimen of certain medications every day. ART works by preventing HIV from multiplying, which reduces the amount of the virus in your body, which is called a virus load. A lowered virus load protects your immune system and prevents the progression of HIV into AIDS.

A main goal of ART is to reduce your viral load to an undetectable level, meaning the amount of HIV in your blood is too low to be detected on a viral load test. If you maintain an undetectable virus load, you will have virtually no risk of transmitting HIV to an uninfected partner.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that there were 1.2 million people in the United States with HIV in 2018, the most recent year with available statistics. Of those people, the CDC estimated that about 14 percent, or 1 in 7, did not know they had the infection. Fortunately, the outlook for people with HIV has continued to improve over the decades.

In the 1990s, a 20-year-old individual with HIV had a life expectancy of 19 years. By 2011, it had improved to 53 years. Today, life expectancy is near normal if ART is started soon after contracting HIV.

If you don’t have HIV, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself against it. Practice safe sex. Use a condom each time you have anal, vaginal or oral sex. Don’t share needles or other equipment to inject drugs. If you think you’re at risk for HIV, consider pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. That involves taking certain HIV medications every day.

If you’re HIV-negative and are exposed to HIV, post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, is an emergency medication you take after exposure that can stop HIV before it infects your body. PEP consists of three antiretroviral medications given for 28 days. It should be started as soon as possible after exposure, but before 36 to 72 hours have passed.

 

Even as you read this, researchers are feverishly working to uncover potential treatments for COVID-19, the highly infectious illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. One of the treatments being studied is the use of plasma from people who’ve recovered from COVID-19 on currently sick patients. It’s called convalescent plasma therapy.

If you had COVID-19 and recovered, your body developed natural defenses against the disease called antibodies, which are located in the liquid portion of your blood called plasma. Convalescent plasma, which is donated by people who recovered from COVID-19, contains disease-fighting COVID-19 antibodies. In theory, once convalescent plasma is transfused into sick patients, the antibodies battle the active virus and help the patients get better.

The use of convalescent plasma therapy is not a new concept. It dates back to at least the time of the Spanish flu of 1918. It has also been used to fight measles, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Ebola and other lesser known diseases.

There are several risks associated with convalescent plasma therapy. The treatment is given by transfusion, so blood-borne germs can be transmitted to the recipient, which can cause infections. Another risk is transfusion-related acute lung injury, or TRALI, in which the transferred antibodies damage blood vessels in the lungs.

Transfusion-associated circulatory overload, or TACO, is another risk of convalescent plasma therapy. TACO occurs when your body can’t handle the added blood volume from the transfusion, which can be up to half a liter of fluid. Both TRALI and TACO lead to difficulty breathing and death. Fortunately, these risks are rare.

Several studies have been conducted across the globe to determine the safety and effectiveness of convalescent plasma therapy for the treatment of sick COVID-19 patients. Doctors in China began experimenting with the therapy in January 2020.

In one of their studies, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in April, the Chinese doctors reported that 10 out of 10 patients who received convalescent plasma improved, whereas three out of 10 patients with the same characteristics who didn’t get the therapy died. Other Chinese studies, as well as small studies from Italy and elsewhere look promising as well.

In the US, a comprehensive nationwide study, the results of which were posted on a public server called MedRxiv May 14, found convalescent plasma therapy safe for use on COVID-19 patients. A team of more than 5,000 doctors from more than 2,000 hospitals and laboratories tested the experimental therapy. Of the 5,000 seriously ill patients treated as part of the study, fewer than 1 percent experienced serious adverse events.

The study’s principal investigator, Dr. Michael Joyner, a physiologist at Mayo Clinic, said researchers will start receiving data on the treatment’s effectiveness in the next few weeks, and he expects to have a “much clearer picture” within the next several months.   

“We’re very encouraged that the treatment is safe,” Dr. Joyner says. “That was really the first hurdle for us. And showing that it’s safe gives us confidence to move on and begin to try to understand the efficacy.”

A study from Houston Methodist Hospital published in the American Journal of Pathology May 26, confirmed that convalescent plasma therapy is safe for COVID-19 patients. In that study, 19 out of 25 patients improved with the treatment and 11 were discharged from the hospital. Houston Methodist was also the first academic medical center in the nation to transfuse plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients into two critically ill patients.

With no adverse side effects caused by the convalescent plasma transfusions, the Houston Methodist study concluded that the treatment is a safe option for patients with severe COVID-19 disease.

While these initial studies are promising, randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) are necessary to truly gauge the overall safety and effectiveness of convalescent plasma therapy for the treatment of sick COVID-19 patients.

RCTs are clinical research studies in which participants are allocated at random to receive either the new treatment being studied or a control treatment. The control may be the current standard or care, a placebo or no treatment. RCTs are the most effective way to study new treatments without bias.

These clinical trials, which will provide more definitive answers on convalescent plasma therapy for sick COVID-19 patients, are currently being conducted in the US.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19* a global pandemic. In response, health care providers across the US closed their office doors to all but the most emergent patients as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19.

Today, these providers are reopening to non-emergent patients, but practices must follow strict protocols to prevent transmission of the coronavirus.

With all the safety precautions in place, seeing your provider in the age of COVID-19 is an entirely new experience. But before you schedule an appointment with your provider, there are a few questions you should be prepared to ask about their process for seeing patients in this new era.

First, ask your provider if they are following the guidelines recommended by the CDC, state medical board, professional societies, and state, federal and local authorities for the screening and management of suspected COVID-19 patients in their practice. New regulations and guidance are issued regularly, so ask if your provider is staying on top of the changes.

Ask if your provider is following the CDC’s patient assessment protocol for triage and early disease detection. All visitors to the practice should be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and contact exposure. If you have symptoms or have had exposure, are their protocols in place for you to be isolated from other patients and staff?

Find out how your provider is screening patients for COVID-19 symptoms before they enter the office. Are staff members taking temperatures and histories at a station outside the building, such as in the parking lot? Or, are they asking you to wait in your car for a staff member to meet you to take your information and temperature before you go inside?

Does your provider offer alternatives to face-to-face visits, such as telephone or telemedicine appointments or online self-assessment tools? Trained staff should be available to determine which patients may be managed safely at home versus at the office or a community health center.

Does your provider routinely test their staff for symptoms of COVID-19? Do they take staff members’ temperatures before each work shift, and are staff members provided with appropriate personal protective equipment (masks, gowns, gloves)? Does your provider require you to wear a mask while you’re in the office? What happens if someone refuses to wear a mask in the office?

Does your provider follow the recommended protocols for disinfecting waiting areas and exam rooms between patients? Do they have a formal infection control policy that includes transmission-based precautions such as contact precautions, droplet precautions and airborne precautions? Is this policy available for you to review?

Are the waiting areas and other common areas in the office set up for social distancing? Are the chairs spaced to keep visitors six feet apart? Or does your provider ask you to wait in your car until it’s time for you to be seen? Does your provider have protocols for patient movement through the office that limits contact with others?

You may have other questions for your provider as well. But remember, this is an unprecedented time in health care and the changes to practice procedures are new to providers and patients alike. Be patient with your provider as they adjust to the new guidelines and regulations and put them into practice in their offices. The rules are for everyone’s safety and health!

Useful Links:

• WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard
• Coronavirus pandemic: Updates from around the world
• COVID-19 and Patient Safety in the Medical Offices

*COVID-19, primarily a respiratory illness, is caused by the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2. As of May 21, 2020, more than five million people worldwide have been infected with COVID-19 and more than 328,000 people have died from the infection.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with COVID-19 have shown a wide array of symptoms that range from mild to severe. The most common symptoms reported are cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.

Other, less common symptoms have also been reported with COVID-19. These include gastrointestinal ailments such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake up or stay awake and bluish lips or face are emergency warning signs that require immediate medical attention.

The most common symptoms of the coronavirus that has stopped the world in its tracks are fever, coughing and breathing difficulties. But doctors are finding that the respiratory disease known as COVID-19 can also cause an eye infection called conjunctivitis.

The discovery of conjunctivitis in COVID-19 patients is rare. As of mid-April, doctors believed that only 1 to 3 percent of all the people who could contract COVID-19 would also suffer from conjunctivitis, most likely during the middle phase of the illness.

According to one report in the Journal of Medical Virology, a study of 30 COVID-19 patients in China showed that only one had ocular secretions or tears containing SARS-CoV-2 RNA, which is the carrier of the coronavirus’s genetic information.

But another study detailed in the New England Journal of Medicine Journal Watch claimed that a third of the COVID-19 patients in that study had confirmed cases of conjunctivitis, a finding that has since been challenged.

Also known as pink eye, conjunctivitis is what develops when the clear tissue that lines the inside of the eyelid becomes inflamed. The result is red, itchy and swollen eyes, and while conjunctivitis is not a serious condition, it is highly contagious.

Children are highly susceptible to conjunctivitis, which is known to spread easily throughout schools and day care centers. However, having conjunctivitis alone does not mean a person also has COVID-19.

Though it can develop as a result of exposure to viruses, conjunctivitis can also be caused by exposure to certain bacteria as well as more common irritants such as shampoo, dirt, smoke, pool chlorine and eye drops.

Though it’s best to be treated for conjunctivitis by an ophthalmologist, home remedies such as warm compresses and over-the-counter medicines can treat its symptoms. No matter the approach, it usually takes about two weeks for conjunctivitis to disappear.

During that healing period, several steps can be taken to expedite the healing process and protect your eyes from further damage. For example, if you wear contact lenses, wear glasses instead until the conjunctivitis is completely healed.

And don’t rub your eyes. Granted, that’s easier said than done, but treating your itchy eyes with moistening drops or dabbing them with a tissue and immediately throwing the tissue away can help you avoid spreading the condition.

Because conjunctivitis is highly contagious, it can be transmitted by the hands just as the coronavirus can, so washing your hands regularly and avoiding handshakes is another way to avoid spreading the infection.

With seniors among the most vulnerable to the spread of the coronavirus, retirement communities are having to step up their efforts to keep residents safe. The real trick, though, lies in not just keeping residents safe but in maintaining a sense of normalcy within such communities.

One community that has managed to meet those two objectives is Hibiscus Court of Melbourne, where the new normal can best be described as a virtual normal. For example, in place of personal visits from family members, Hibiscus Court is conducting virtual visits using video conferencing software such as Zoom.

“We’ve all seen the viral posts of people meeting at windows, and we started with that, but we’ve actually found that it’s better for our residents and their families to have these meetings through Zoom,’’ says Charisse Durham, director of sales and marketing at Hibiscus Court of Melbourne.

“So what we’re doing is teaching the families how to use the Zoom technology, and once we’ve done that, we set up a Zoom meeting for them. During that visit, we are there with the resident to help them navigate through it or translate if they have any trouble hearing or seeing their family members. It’s working out really well.”

Another example of the new virtual normal at Hibiscus Court of Melbourne took place last week, when the community changed up its regular Rolling With Laughter event. When the Hibiscus comedy troupe, “Off Their Rockers” had to cancel its event, the community held a virtual Rolling with Laughter event.

“We accepted submissions from residents, family members, referral sources and care partners,” Charisse explains. “All of them sent in different jokes and we had several different showings for small groups where our programming director and residents presented the jokes.

“It went over very well, and for some of our residents who could not attend one of the showings, we went to their rooms and shared the jokes with them individually. We also printed some of the jokes that were short and sweet and took photos of our residents with the joke and a smile then posted them on our Facebook page to share them that way.”

One of the biggest challenges retirement communities now face comes at meal time, when residents typically gather en masse to dine and socialize. Social distancing guidelines prohibit such mass gatherings, however, so at Hibiscus Court of Melbourne, residents are now served the same meals they would receive in the dining room in their own suites or in small, adequately spaced common areas.

That said, socializing is not a thing of the past at Hibiscus Court of Melbourne. Just as it did with its comedy show, the community now conducts several exercise and activity periods each day where small groups of six residents gather and participate while maintaining a safe social distance from one another.

“Another thing we did recently was hold a virtual 99^th birthday party for one of our residents,’’ Charisse explains. “We also had a no-contact pet parade, where local participants came and walked their dogs around our parking lot and we let our residents know so they could watch from their rooms or at a safe distance.”

It’s not just the residents of Hibiscus Court of Melbourne who are getting special attention during these difficult times. The community’s staff members, who are working extra hard each day to ensure residents are safe and comfortable, have not been forgotten.

“We’ve had families provide lunch for the entire team; other families have sent gourmet caramel apples or bulk boxes of treats,” Charisse reports. “They know our team works tirelessly to provide the best care for their loved ones. Many families’ have taken the opportunity to say thank you. Even though we’re not in a hospital or skilled setting, we are providing health care and life care and many are working additional hours and occasionally double shifts.

“Our leadership team is also committed to thanking our direct caregivers daily with some item of appreciation. Somebody every day is doing something to say thank you to our team, because they know that we’re here trying to protect people and that our care team also has to take additional measures to protect themselves and their families when they leave, because they can’t bring the virus back into our community.

“It’s a difficult time for everyone but everyone is pitching in and doing what they can to help each other out. The dedication to our residents’ care and the creativity in that is truly remarkable. I’m inspired every day.”

Patty Magnant was already busy sewing scrub hats for some local hospital nurses when her husband, a Fort Myers vascular surgeon, learned just how critical the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) caused by the coronavirus really is.

“My sister is an emergency room doctor and she shared with me that at hospitals everywhere right now, they’re running low of surgical hats, gowns and masks,” shares Joseph Magnant, MD, FACS, RPVI.

“That’s their equipment and they need it badly, and that got Patty and I thinking that we should start making more of these reusable cloth scrub hats for the nurses and doctors in the ERs and ICUs.”

Dr. Magnant, the founder and CEO of Vein Specialists, which is dedicated to the minimally invasive treatment of leg vein disorders and has offices in Fort Myers and Bonita Springs, began his initiative in early April.

He is one of a host of medical professionals across the state of Florida who are devoting time to helping others during the coronavirus crisis, and within days of he and his wife beginning their initiative, it was already expanding.

“So our initial thought was to make these surgical hats that were more durable, that the doctors and nurses could take home and

wash and wear the next day,” Dr. Magnant explains. “But then we came up with another idea, another way to help out during this crisis.

“When the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) came out the other day and suggested that people start wearing face coverings whenever you’re outside of the home, we came up with a way to make those as well.”

Dr. Magnant’s idea for a face covering was inspired by the buffs he’s seen at area sporting goods stores. He and Patty made their first few “re-buffs’’ out of old t-shirts but soon began making them out of a better grade of material they purchased online.

“They’re tubular knit cloths that you can pull up and cover your mouth and nose with,” Dr. Magnant says. “We gave the first few away to friends and neighbors and my parents, and now we’re making them to sell to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

“I’ve supported the Ronald McDonald House Charities for years, and because volunteers are not allowed to help them cook meals at this time, what they really need right now is money. So, we came up with this idea that we’re calling Hats 4 Heros.”

Through the Hats for Heros program, Vein Specialists will donate one hand-sewn surgical scrub hat to an emergency and acute care medical professional somewhere in Southwest Florida for every $10 donated to the Ronald McDonald House charities.

For every $5 donation to the Ronald McDonald House charities, Vein Specialists will donate a hand-sewn Re-Buff to anyone in need of facial protection. A $5 donation can feed one family in need, while a $10 donation can feed two families.

“My expertise is in cutting the patterns,” Dr. Magnant says of his role in the production of the hats and buffs. “Patty does the sewing, and like anything it takes time, but it’s starting to take off.”

Patty and Dr. Magnant have also started a GoFundMe account in an attempt to bring awareness to their cause. It can be found at gofundme.com.

The staff at Coastal Integrative Healthcare in Edgewater specializes in physical medicine and stem cell therapy, but when the impact of the coronavirus hit their community this week they put their skills to work in another way.

After learning that many of the people in and around Edgewater were running out of hand sanitizer, the Coastal Integrative Healthcare staff created a homemade version of the disinfectant that is offered up for free to area residents.

“We started hearing about a lot of at-risk people who didn’t have hand sanitizer or ran out of it, and because you can’t find it in the stores right now, we decided to make it ourselves to help people out,” says Timothy Steflik, DC, at Coastal Integrative Healthcare.

Using a recipe that one of their staffers knew, the CIH staff created about six gallons of hand sanitizer by mixing four gallons of isopropyl alcohol with two gallons of aloe gel. They then added some scents to it to erase the clinical odor of the alcohol.

“The isopropyl alcohol is what kills the viruses and mixing in the aloe gel gave it some consistency,” Dr. Steflik states. “The different scents make it smell nice, and once we had it made up, we set up a tent in our parking lot and distributed it from there.”

“We set up the tent so that people wouldn’t have to come into our building and touch the doorknobs and stuff, so it was just like some of the restaurants and places like that offering curbside service.”

Coastal Integrative Healthcare began distributing its homemade hand sanitizer this past Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. Shortly before that, a line of people, many of whom had brought their own containers, had assembled to take advantage of the giveaway.

“We also gave out some small containers that we made up ourselves to people who didn’t have one,” Dr. Steflik says. “The people we served were really happy because they literally couldn’t find it any of the stores.”

Coastal Integrative Healthcare’s giveaway also benefitted a nearby medical clinic that had run out of the disinfectant.

“We had several nurses and nurse practitioners come over from the Florida Health Care facility that’s just two businesses away from us,” Dr. Steflik confirms. “And that was important because they’re one of the eight testing centers for COVID-19 in our county and they had run out of it. So we filled up the bottles they brought and then gave them some more.”

Dr. Steflik says he is hoping to make another batch of hand sanitizer to give away to area residents and businesses next week. He’s worried, though, that a shortage of one of the key ingredients will prevent that from happening.

“We’re having a hard time buying isopropyl alcohol right now,” he says. “We have access to it through a distributor that most people don’t have and that’s how we got enough to make the first batch.

But it’s getting harder and harder to find. You can’t even buy it on Amazon right now, but we’re going to keep looking because we want to continue to do what we can to help the people in our community in some way.”

 

 

 

 

A national survey conducted March 18 and 19 by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) showed that the COVID-19 pandemic is significantly affecting the nation’s mental health. In the survey, half of US adults reported high levels of anxiety.

Among the survey respondents, 48 percent reported feeling anxious about the possibility of contracting COVID-19 themselves, and 40 percent said they were anxious about becoming seriously ill or dying from the virus. In addition, 62 percent reported being anxious about the possibility of a loved one contracting the illness.

The president of the APA, Bruce J. Schwartz, MD, suggests that this level of anxiety is appropriate given the current circumstances in this country. But he warns that the rate of mental distress in America could surge if the COVID-19 crises continues much longer.

It’s the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic that can cause the physical, emotional and mental reactions in people. If you have a high level of anxiety, you may experience feelings such as anger, rage, confusion, helplessness, sadness, depression and guilt. Other symptoms of anxiety that may occur include:

• Tenseness or nervousness
• Constant exhaustion
• Difficulty sleeping
• Difficulty concentrating
• Increased heart rate
• Stomach upset
• Constant crying
• Isolation
• Heavy use of alcohol and/or drugs

When these feelings don’t go away after a few weeks or get worse, it may be a good idea to seek professional help. Seek help from a trained professional if you or a loved one is unable to return to a normal routine, feel helpless, have thoughts of hurting yourself or others, or begin to use alcohol and drugs to excess.

People with pre-existing mental health conditions are especially vulnerable to stress and anxiety during crisis situations. During this current COVID-19 crisis, these individuals should continue with their treatment and be aware of new or worsening symptoms.

Here’s one example of worsening symptoms. A British charity for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder reports that it has received an increase in calls and emails from people with the disorder who were developing a new fixation on the coronavirus.

For help coping during these anxious times, try these tips, courtesy of HelpGuide article Coronavirus Anxiety:

• Stay informed, but don’t obsess —  It’s important to check the news to stay informed about what’s going on, especially as circumstances change daily. You need to follow the news to know what to do to stay safe and help slow the spread of the virus. But there’s a lot of misinformation circulating and sensational reporting can fuel anxiety and fear, so be discerning about what and how much you read and watch.
• Focus on things you can control – There are many things out of your control right now such as how long this crisis will last and how others will respond to it. Focusing on questions without clear answers will make you feel drained, anxious and overwhelmed. Try focusing on things you can control, such as following the recommended steps for preventing the spread of the virus.
• Plan for what you can do – If you’re worried about your workplace closing, your children being home from school, having to self-quarantine or about a loved one getting sick, make note of these worries. Then, make a list of possible solutions and draw up an action plan. Concentrate your efforts on problems you can solve.
• Stay connected – It’s been shown that social distancing is helping to curb the spread of the coronavirus, but being physically isolated can add to stress and anxiety. Make it a priority to stay in touch with family and friends. Schedule regular phone calls or chat via video or Skype. Connect with family and friends via social media. But don’t let the coronavirus dominate every conversation.
• Take care of your body and spirit – The rules of staying healthy are especially important during times like these. Be sure to eat healthy, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly. Practice a stress-relieving technique such as yoga, deep breathing or meditation to help keep stress at a minimum. Be kind to yourself if you’re experiencing more depression and anxiety than usual. Take time out for activities you enjoy, and try to maintain a normal routine while you’re stuck at home.
• Help others – Focusing on others in need supports your community, and this is especially true in times of crisis. People who focus on others tend to be happier and healthier than those who act selfishly. Focusing on others can also make a positive impact on your mental health. Doing kind and helpful acts for others can help you regain a sense of control over your life and add meaning and purpose.

Remember, we’re all in this together!