COVID 19: Do you feel safe?
COVID 19 and our response at L&M Orthodontics
“May you live in interesting times,” (the venerable Irish curse). And don’t we, though, this COVID 19 season?
It is for good reason that they call it the ‘Novel’ SARS Coronavirus. Dealing with COVID 19 has been a challenge. We got off to a slow start in particular because we knew so little about the behavior of this unique virus. It does not exactly fit the behavior of previous Coronaviruses, so we have to depend on new behavioral models. And as we all know about computer models, garbage in, garbage out. As the point of origin, the country was slow to release preliminary data, has not adequately shared ongoing experiential data, and has abrogated contractual supply chain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) obligations, our understanding of the virus’ behavior and our means of dealing with it has been delayed from the start.
So, what do we now know about COVID 19? How do we practice Orthodontics going forward? And of greatest importance, how do we keep our patients, ourselves, and our loved ones safe and virus-free? It is exceptionally important to us, as health-care practitioners, to be on the cutting edge of preventive care. To that end, we have installed equipment, protocols, barriers, and chemical mediators that not only meet but actually exceed all CDC recommendations. We have taken continuing education courses, read scientific papers, evaluated each and every report, discussed with professional colleagues the novel and ever-changing understanding of the virus’ behavior and our ‘on the fly’ responses to the latest vetted information. We have also learned how to filter rumor and innuendo, political posturing, breaking headlines, anecdotal reports, as compared to well refereed scientific investigation. It has been (to be kind), a process. And the process is still ongoing due to the novel nature of this organism.
At L&M Orthodontics we will continue to strive to provide you with the safest possible Orthodontic care environment, changing our responses as the body of knowledge about this scourge changes; but we need your help. Please bear with our new protocols that are designed to reduce risk, and protocol changes as we continue to learn more about Covid-19. Please be patient with us as we strive to schedule your treatment in a way that allows us to manage your care in light of what is currently required safety protocols.
It is essential, however, that you do your part in helping us keep you safe and healthy. Even if you feel OK, you may be one of the many who have had the virus without showing symptoms. Please be sure to wear a mask when interacting with others, at all times, so as not to become a vector of transmission. The mask protects others from you as well as you from others. Please practice social distancing so as to make it harder physically for the virus to be transmitted. Please take advantage of virtual communication to reduce opportunistic transmission. Wear your mask over both your mouth and your nose. And most of all, frequently wash or sanitize your hands. That’s today’s understanding, but due to the novel nature of this virus, all of these recommendations may change as we continue to learn more about it.
If you have any questions regarding the blog, please do not hesitate to reach out to us! Our friendly team will be happy to answer any questions.
IF YOU HAVE ANY ORTHODONTIC NEEDS AND WOULD LIKE TO SCHEDULE A COMPLEMENTARY CONSULTATION, PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICES, OUR FRIENDLY TEAM WOULD BE HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU!
