Recently, the amount of coronavirus cases in the New York metropolitan area has been slowly decreasing. Earlier in the COVID-19 outbreak, nonessential and nonurgent appointments and surgeries were postponed and rescheduled to slow the spread of the virus and preserve medical resources. Now that circumstances are improving, we would like to remind you that this does not mean that all healthcare needs to disappear. Ear infections, sinus issues and allergy issues are still as present as ever and can have a significant effect on a patient’s quality of life and overall health.
Early in the outbreak, ENT and allergy Associates was briefly closed down with the exception of emergencies in order to facilitate social distancing and flattening the curve. Now, we have made it a priority to reopen in a safe fashion so that all our patients can continue to have their ear nose and throat issues treated. Because patient's medical issues cannot wait until pandemic is over, a number of measures have been put in place by our practice to safely care for all of our patients.
All of our patients are being given the option to wait for their appointment in their cars or outside. Additionally, all of our patients are required to wear masks in the office and temperatures are being checked on entry. All patients are asked screening questions to evaluate for any recent exposure to the coronavirus. In order to facilitate social distancing, markers have been placed in most of her waiting rooms and patients are allowed to proceed directly back to the room in which she will be examined. In between patients, each room is thoroughly disinfected and all surfaces are wiped down.
Our precautions do not stop there. Once you come into an examination room, you will find all of our ENT and Allergy doctors fully garbed in personal protective equipment in order to protect themselves and patients. While many of our procedures for examination remain the same, there are some significant differences. Nasal endoscopy and flexible laryngoscopy procedures are often done differently to prevent possible spread of the virus. This includes using nasal pledgets soaked in medication rather than using aerosolizing sprays to numb the patient's nose and throat. Patients are also encouraged to keep their masks on as much as possible in order to prevent spreading aerosol droplets with coughing. As always, all our medical equipment for procedures is then cleaned and disinfected with FDA approved enzymatic detergent.
The coronavirus pandemic is a real public health emergency that were taking seriously here at ENTA. With all of the precautions mentioned above we feel confident in our abilities to treat your Ear, Nose, Throat and Allergy issues during this difficult time. Please call us to discuss your next appointment.
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