“In states across the
country, the spread of COVID-19 is staggering and
concerning. We all have a role to play in stopping the
spread and protecting ourselves, our family and our
neighbors,” says Susan R. Bailey, M.D., president of the
American Medical Association (AMA). “The science is clear.
We know what stops the spread of the virus – wearing cloth
face masks, physical distancing and regularly washing hands
-- and it is on all of us to practice these steps. Without a
vaccine for this novel virus, the only way to turn the tide
and recapture a sense of normal is by working together.”
The AMA offers the
following guidance and insights that can help keep you, your
friends and your loved ones healthy and safe.
• Wear a cloth face mask:
Take the simple steps that science has shown will help stop
the spread of the virus: wearing a cloth face mask,
maintaining physical distancing and washing your hands. The
simplest tried-and-true methods are still the most
important.
• Keep up with doctor
visits: Before you decide to forgo routine care or
screenings, talk to your doctor. Physicians are using
telehealth services and have taken painstaking precautions
to make their practices safe. Make sure you keep up with
your vaccines, and don’t let something that in normal
circumstances could be handled with an early visit to your
physician land you in the hospital.
• Be mindful that
re-opening is not the same as a return to normal: When
indoors, wear a mask, even in restaurants and stores that
are open. Consider dining outdoors whenever possible. Stay
connected with friends and family, but do so in a
physically-distant and safe manner, including small outdoors
gatherings where masks and hand sanitizer are used.
• Take time to clear your
head and rest: With many people working from home or working
under more stressful conditions, it is important to take
mental health breaks. Get up and move, take a walk outside,
step away from the computer, and take days or hours off from
work.
As the death toll from
COVID-19 continues to rise, physicians, nurses, hospital and
health system leaders, researchers and public health experts
want Americans to know that it is within their power to help
stop the spread of the virus.
Courtesy StatePoint
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