Wednesday, March 11, 2020
SJRMC Reminds Public to be Prepared – Not Panicked as NM Sees First COVID-19 Cases
As of today, March 11, 2020, New Mexico now has four presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Bernalillo and Socorro counties. As a result, Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham has declared a public health emergency for the entire state of New Mexico. Right now, San Juan County and the surrounding area have not seen any cases of coronavirus.
Here at San Juan Regional Medical Center, we are prepared – not panicked. We want our community to be prepared and proactive too. It’s important to remember that 80 percent of illnesses associated with COVID-19 are mild and do not require hospitalization.
The symptoms of coronavirus include a fever, cough and shortness of breath. Most people experiencing these symptoms can stay home and self-isolate with supportive care such as rest, increased fluids and over the counter medications to reduce fever.
If you feel that you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and are unsure of what to do next, please contact your primary care provider for further guidance. If you don’t have a primary care provider, contact the state of New Mexico’s 24/7 hotline at 855.600.3453.
The New Mexico Department of Health is offering testing to all patients with respiratory symptoms – fever AND cough or shortness of breath – who test negative for influenza. The Department of Health is NOT testing persons without symptoms. Patients must meet certain criteria to be tested, which will be determined by your provider and the New Mexico Department of Health. Please coordinate this with your primary care doctor. Do not come to the emergency department for the sole purpose of obtaining a test for minor illness.
If you require immediate medical attention, we at San Juan Regional Medical Center are prepared to care for you. In order to keep you, our community, staff and other patients safe, please tell the intake staff about your symptoms. They will provide a mask and further instructions.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease. However- EVERYONE has a role to play in reducing the spread of respiratory viruses, which is part of being PREPARED and PROACTIVE – not panicked. Following these steps will help:
- Wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Please make sure you are getting your information from reliable sources. San Juan Regional Medical Center has a coronavirus page on our website, www.sanjuanregional.com/coronavirus. We also offer a coronavirus information hotline at 505.516.0938 or toll free at 888.949.5387. For additional information you can also visit the Centers for Disease Control’s website at www.cdc.gov. For individualized assessment, you can call the state hotline at 855.600.3453.