As a Community Health Center we owe it to our patients, visitors, and staff to be prepared for any exposure to the Ebola virus. Fortunately, there are very few confirmed cases in the US and none in Monroe County so far. Our hope is to provide assurance, putting facts and faith before fear as we prepare ourselves in case of such an unlikely event. Our staff is trained to ask the appropriate questions to identify an at risk patient as well as how to isolate and care for such a patient. We are keeping up to date with Monroe County and New York State Health Department (as well as CDC, and WHO) guidelines about how we should handle potentially infected patients, and protocols are in place to protect anyone in our office who might be exposed.
If you think you might be coming down with Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
First ask yourself the following questions:
1. Have you traveled to West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, or other countries where EVD transmission has been reported by WHO – see map below) within the past 21 days (3 weeks)?
AND
2. Do you have a fever of greater than or 100.4 F (38.0 C) plus additional symptoms such as severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or unexplained hemorrhage?
If your answer to these two questions is YES, then call our office to talk about your condition with one of our medical providers before coming in to be seen. Or feel free to contact the Monroe County Health Department directly at (585) 753-5164.
Here are a few authoritative resources that we feel may be helpful in dispelling unwarranted fear. More information is also available on the CDC website.
Please click on a document below to learn more about the Ebola threat
We know there is a lot of fear about the threat of Ebola here. Thankfully our advanced health care system has an immense availability of resources to respond appropriately. As you pray about our situation, take a minute to think about our neighbors in West Africa and how they must feel. Please join us in prayer and support for all of those involved in relief efforts. We have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to share with those less fortunate than us.
