Message From Dr. Raleigh — Surge in COVID-19 Cases
The recent surge of COVID-19 cases has created new uncertainties, questions, and stress. That’s why I’m writing — to share new information for combating the surge and preparing yourself for the rest of the holiday season.
Here’s what I want you to know:
1. Testing: If you are sick with symptoms of respiratory illness — including fever, cough and shortness of breath — or you were exposed to or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, please get tested immediately.
When it comes to testing, you now have two options:
- Option I — in person testing: For the nearest testing location in Orange Country, please visithttps://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/covid-19-testing-locations-map. For other areas, you can visit your state or local health department’s website to look for the latest local information on testing.
- Option II — at home testing: The County of Orange is now offering at-home saliva-based COVID-19 test kits. For more information, visit https://oc.care.ambrygen.com.
If you think you may have COVID-19, the most important thing to do is to isolate yourself from others and get tested as soon as possible. Most people will have mild illness (or even no symptoms) and can recover at home without medical care.
Good to Know: Two kinds of tests are available for COVID-19:
viral tests and antibody tests.
- A viral test tells you if you have a current infection.
- An antibody test might tell you if you had a past infection.
2. If You’re Exposed: If you’ve been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and you have not developed symptoms, the CDC now recommends that you quarantine yourself for 10 days. If you suspect, but are unsure of exposure, quarantine yourself for seven (7) days to make sure symptoms (including fever, cough and shortness of breath) do not appear.
3. Immune Support: If you’re concerned about your immune system this holiday season, considering taking RH Daily Immune Defense — a new dietary supplement that I formulated myself.
RH Daily Immune Defense contains a comprehensive formula for the delivery of optimal immune function and defense. If you’re even just slightly concerned about exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), this is the right daily dietary supplement for you. To order a bottle, call the Irvine clinic at (949) 535-2322.
4. How to Protect Yourself: Not all news about COVID-19 is bad. Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoiding close contact with people who are sick; getting plenty of sleep; eating nutrient dense foods and keeping your sugar intake below 25 grams per day; staying well hydrated — these are all things that we should be doing anyway, so do them! Write them down and hold yourself and those around you accountable for making it through the holiday season safe and sound.
Questions? If you have any questions about COVID-19 and your Restoration Healthcare plan of care, please reach out to us using your account on the OnPatient Portal. My team and I are here to help you through these uncertain times. Let us know if there’s anything we can do to support you!
