COVID-19 (coronavirus)

People who are at most risk for severe illness are people who are over 50 years old or who have other health conditions, including chronic lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer or a weakened immune system. People with regular close contact with someone who has or could have COVID-19 are also at higher risk. This includes people who live in the same home, caretakers who work in the home or sexual partners.

Testing should only be used for people who need to be hospitalized for severe illness like pneumonia. This protects health care workers and may affect treatment options. At this point, if you have symptoms, assume that you have COVID-19. A positive test will not change what a doctor tells you to do to get better. The best course of action is to stay at home. 

If you are only mildly ill, you can save the life of another New Yorker by staying home to ensure health care resources go to those who need them the most. Take care of others by staying home.

Assume you have COVID-19! If you have mild to moderate symptoms, stay home. You should not seek medical care or try to get tested. By staying home, you reduce the possibility of transmission to others, including health care workers who are needed to care for the more seriously ill.

• If you are over 50 years old or have chronic conditions, consult your doctor. They may want to monitor you more closely.
• If your symptoms do not go away or get worse after three to four days, consult with your doctor.
• Stay home for at least seven days after your symptoms started. Make sure that you have been fever-free for three days without the use of fever-reducing drugs, such as Tylenol and ibuprofen. Also, make sure that your cough and sore throat are better before you go back to your routine. If you never had a fever, stay at home for at least three days after your symptoms start improving.
• If you go out to see your doctor, wear a face mask if available.If possible, take a private car, sit in the back seat and roll down the window.
• If you have more severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing and very high fever, go to an emergency department. Call 911 if you need help right away.

If you are sick at home, do the following:

• Do not leave your home except to get medical care or to address other essential needs, such as getting groceries.
• Do not go to school or to work.
• Do not take public transportation. Do not use ride shares or taxis.
• Separate yourself from others in your home, as much as possible. Stay in a different room. Use a separate bathroom if available. If you share a bathroom, disinfect frequently touched surfaces after each use.
• Wear a face mask if available when you need to be in areas with others.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when sneezing or coughing. Do not use your hands to cover your sneeze or cough. Immediately throw out tissues and wash your hands afterward.
• Clean surfaces that are frequently touched, such as counters, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures and phones. Clean them after each use or at least once every day. Use a household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Do not share personal household items, such as glasses, cups, eating utensils and towels.
• Do not have visitors come to your home.

If you had or may have had COVID-19, stay home for seven days after your symptoms started, and for three days after your fever has stopped without the use of fever-reducing drugs, such as Tylenol and ibuprofen, and your cough or sore throat symptoms have improved. If you never had a fever, stay at home for at least three days since your symptoms started improving.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, Apicha CHC has made numerous operational adjustments to better serve the community, while also protecting the health of its clients, staff, and patients.

One of those changes includes our implementation of telehealth. To learn more about telemedicine, read the instructions for logging in with your cell phone here and logging in with your pc here.

What is telehealth? 

Telehealth, also known as telemedicine, is a set of means or methods for enhancing health care, public health, and health education delivery and support using telecommunications technologies. Essentially, telehealth is a virtual way of providing care to clients and staff. It can include diagnosis and management, education, and other related fields of health care.

Telehealth isn't one singular method of providing virtual care. There are numerous forms of telehealth that can be provided by a medical professional. Keep in mind, that not every medical provider offers telehealth. But, as medical technology and health care advance, options to providing care continue to grow. A few examples include live video and remote patient monitoring.

What are the benefits of telehealth?

There are many benefits of telehealth, one of the main reasons being that it can better connect patients to their providers. This can improve both the care provided and overall health of patients. By providing a new form of access and service, this benefits communities as a whole.

• Better health
• No transportation time or costs
• Less time in the waiting room
• Less chance of catching a new illness
• Better access to specialists

Practicing social distancing is crucial in reducing new infections. Here is how you can do so:

• Stay home as much as possible.
• Create more physical space between yourself and others.
• Keep at least 6 feet between yourself and others, whenever possible.
• Do not gather in large crowds.
• Work from home, if possible.
• Avoid all nonessential travel.
• Avoid all nonessential social interactions

• If you feel sick, stay home.
• If you are not feeling sick, stay home as much as possible and practice social (physical) distancing.
• Do not seek a COVID-19 test unless you are sick and do not feel better after three to four days. If you have mild or moderate symptoms, do not seek health care. This will let New Yorkers who are more sick access the care that they need.
• Do not hoard face masks. Our health care providers need face masks to stay healthy and to care for the most critically ill.

• For real-time updates, text “COVID” to 692-692. Messages and data rates may apply.
• Visit nyc.gov/coronavirus for additional resources and information.
• If you need a provider, NYC Health and Hospitals provides care to all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, insurance status or ability to pay. Call 844-NYC-4NYC (844-692-4692) or 311.
• If you are feeling anxious, stressed or overwhelmed, connect with trained counselors at NYC Well, the City’s confidential helpline. Call 888-NYC-WELL (888-692-9355), text "WELL" to 65173. Or chat online at nyc.gov/nycwell.