How to Travel Consciously in Era of Covid-19
Spring is in the air and tempting us to move about more freely. In the USA, more states and counties are setting goals to loosen their restrictions, and travel seems more plausible. This adds some brand-new challenges to our communities.
Ninety percent of the Covid+ cases in Shasta County have been from people traveling away and bringing it back. Ten percent are those infected from the travelers. This can be greatly reduced by following some socially conscious protocols. It’s better to go to the extra effort in advance, than to feel responsible for causing harm to others later.
In the epicenters of the Covid outbreak, 90% infected have been “essential workers”, and the other 10% are those they are spreading it to.
How to keep our current infection rates from climbing?
The major cities have been hit the hardest with Covid-19, and it’s been seemingly easier to contain the spread in our towns that are more spacious by nature. In California we’re grateful our governor and local representatives acted swiftly installing the shelter in place order, which we are confident has kept us from seeding the smaller communities thus far.
Physical distancing is still the best way to avoid passing this virus along. Adding to this, wearing face masks helps protect others from you, who may be pre or asymptomatic. If everyone wears masks and physically distances when in public, we will reduce the rate of community infections.
As of 5-5-20, California has 58,625 people who’ve tested positive. In Los Angeles the ICU’s are still filling with Covid + Patients. We are not out of the woods yet. We had 2,536 new cases just today.
With this in mind as we move forward allowing more people to get back to work and move about more freely, the question remains, how can we do this and not cause a back lash that shuts us down again with even more loss of life?
In order for us to re-open commerce slowly and safely, we need to understand the process of test and trace. We have a much higher capacity for testing now, although it’s not adequate yet since it can take up to 72 hours to know results. To put this information to best use for community health, we must go into isolation until we get the results back. The faster the test result turn around, the sooner we can move about.
How to travel into new communities responsibly
If you plan to travel outside your community, there are a few things you can do to protect the new community from the possibility of viral infection spread.
1. Test before you go – isolate until negative results are in, or Test upon arrival in the new community, then isolate while waiting for results.
2. Continue social distancing (to avoid bringing back anything to your home community)
3. Continue Frequent handwashing
4. Wear a facial mask or covering as a courtesy to others.
5. Keep log of anyone you spend time with during your travels.
6. Once you return to your home, re-testing would be optimum, isolating until results received. The goal is to not cross contaminate communities.
The other option is for people moving to new communities for longer term, upon arrival get testing and isolate for 14 days to be sure you are not inadvertently brining in a new source of infection.
If you are going to an isolated place near a new city, such as camping or houseboating, it is still socially responsible to test before going, and when in the presence of others outside you CCP, wear a facial mask and use physical distancing and handwashing to protect yourself and your CCP.
No one who is ill or tests positive should be moving about at all!
WE CAN STOP THE SPREAD!
Note: Widespread testing, intensive contact tracing and tracking apps have enabled South Korea to limit the spread of the virus without extensive lockdowns seen in other countries. We can learn a lot from how other successful countries, as well as America cities, have progressed.
Our New Clinic Access Procedures:
- Register Online
- If the internet is not accessible;
- Call clinic of choice for registration assistance.
- Hilltop Drive Clinic- (530) 221-1565 / Eureka Way Clinic- (530) 246-4629
- A Covid-19 Screening questionnaire will be required at every encounter.
- Telemedicine visits provided for medical intervention not requiring a physical exam or in office procedure, test or imaging.
- In office visits will require you to have a facial mask or fabric covering.
- Call from HOME before coming to clinic
- You will be asked to wait in your car until the doctor is ready to see you inside the clinic.
Founded in 1986, Hilltop Medical Clinic is a community leader in Health, Wellness and Urgent Health Care needs.
Call from home for your Telemedicine Visit as you need our assistance.
Hilltop East : (530) 221-1565 Hilltop West: (530) 246-4629
1093 Hilltop Drive, Redding. 2123 Eureka Way, Redding
For more information, press only:
Dr. Nancy Sutton Pierce – Director of Public Relations
(530) 604-0899
DrNancy@DrNSP.com
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