A good start for Texas

[EveDallas]

I live in Austin. As I said, the dentist offices are closed. However, within the past few weeks I have gone to my optometrist, to physical therapy, to my primary care doctor (for my physical, which they said normally they would have postponed but they had me come in anyway because I needed a time-sensitive blood test as part of it), and to my orthopedic doctor. None of it has been an emergency. I also have another specialist doctor who I know is still operating his private clinic, because I had to call his office to ask about a medication refill. They said they're still open and seeing patients. I also called my son's pediatrician to talk with the nurse about something, anf they're still there. So everything medical here is not shut down, mainly dentists and elective surgeries, apparently.

I wish Dallas County was like that. Thankfully starting tomorrow people will be able to go back to their doctors.

 

[tcufrog]

My thyroid doctor had me come in for a sonogram. I have some fairly large thyroid nodules that are benign. My neck was getting puffy and she was worried that something was wrong. When I had some migraines though, my primary care doctor did a telemedicine appointment. DS13's orthodontics consult was canceled and the kids' annual checkups were rescheduled for summer. My allergist's office reopened the shot clinic but instead of dropping in, you have to make an appointment and they are only seeing 4 people each hour and are encouraging people to space out their shots to every two weeks if possible. They are trying to see as many as possible via telemedicine and are only bringing someone in for a doctor's appointment if they can't be helped via telemedicine. I live in North Texas west of Dallas.

 

[choirfarm]

I wish Dallas County was like that. Thankfully starting tomorrow people will be able to go back to their doctors.

In our area you were free to go to the doctor. In fact, my husband did! Most people were too scared to go. It was only medical procedures at a hospital that were cancelled. But at my husband's former practice they only had enough people coming in to see people 1 day a week.

 

[Notrealname]

What exactly are you worried about possibly causing the increased numbers?

Barring a vaccine or miracle, people are going to catch this virus whether we start to open things tomorrow or three months from now. Every expert I've read acknowledges that. Unfortunately, increased infection may lead to increased deaths but hopefully by slowing the spread so hospitals aren't overwhelmed we can keep the numbers minimal.

The lack of even minimal social distancing actions as described by some posters since the the relaxation of “stay at home“ guidelines is what concerns me and leads me to anticipate that that the curve will expand rather than continue to flatten.

 

[AustinTink]

I live in Austin. As I said, the dentist offices are closed. However, within the past few weeks I have gone to my optometrist, to physical therapy, to my primary care doctor (for my physical, which they said normally they would have postponed but they had me come in anyway because I needed a time-sensitive blood test as part of it), and to my orthopedic doctor. None of it has been an emergency. I also have another specialist doctor who I know is still operating his private clinic, because I had to call his office to ask about a medication refill. They said they're still open and seeing patients. I also called my son's pediatrician to talk with the nurse about something, anf they're still there. So everything medical here is not shut down, mainly dentists and elective surgeries, apparently.

Interesting, our optometrist and physical therapist offices are closed. You must not be with ARC or ADC for your primary care. I thought those were closed for non-emergency appointments also.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Interesting, our optometrist and physical therapist offices are closed. You must not be with ARC or ADC for your primary care. I thought those were closed for non-emergency appointments also.

My primary care doctor is at ARC Far West. As I said, I had a time-sensitive blood test to take, which is why they let me book a physical, which I was due for anyway. My orthopedic doctor is at ARC downtown. Neither were emergency appointments, but they were both important, not just routine check-ups. Both clinics are open, but much less busy than usual. They screen you for temperature & symptoms before you can go in. My optometrist is open for shorter hours than usual, but still open. My physical therapy center was much less busy than usual, but is still open and helping people who need it. No law or order is shutting them down. Dentist offices are what are closed by the order, and elective surgeries are also not currently allowed. But you can still go to the doctor, eye doctor, or get physical therapy if you need to. Thank goodness, we're sane enough to allow that.

 

[AustinTink]

My primary care doctor is at ARC Far West. As I said, I had a time-sensitive blood test to take, which is why they let me book a physical, which I was due for anyway. My orthopedic doctor is at ARC downtown. Neither were emergency appointments, but they were both important, not just routine check-ups. Both clinics are open, but much less busy than usual. They screen you for temperature & symptoms before you can go in. My optometrist is open for shorter hours than usual, but still open. My physical therapy center was much less busy than usual, but is still open and helping people who need it. No law or order is shutting them down. Dentist offices are what are closed by the order, and elective surgeries are also not currently allowed. But you can still go to the doctor, eye doctor, or get physical therapy if you need to. Thank goodness, we're sane enough to allow that.

I love ARC. Been going to them on and off for years. I was sad to read they are letting some of their employees go in the wake of all this.

 

[elphaba91]

What does elective surgery mean? As a layperson it conjures up various forms of cosmetic surgery to me. I realize that this makes up a large portion of many hospitals' income but isn't the Fed bill supposed to help with that?

Elective surgery is anything that can be delayed for at least 24 hours (I suppose long enough for a patient to 'elect' whether to go ahead or not).

In Australia elective surgeries are then given an urgency category - category 1 means it should be done within 30 days, category 2 within 90 days and category 3 within 365 days. We have cancelled all elective surgeries apart from category 1 and urgent category 2. I think the main concerns were having enough PPE, beds, ventilators, etc. Most doctors are doing telehealth appointments, although if you need to be seen you absolutely can be - e.g. I am having an MRI this week, people are able to get flu shots, etc.

Fortunately our numbers have been really good and they have managed to secure more PPE earlier than expected, so our leaders will tomorrow be discussing expanding that up. Our medical system also has both public (i.e. tax payer funded) hospitals and private hospitals. I think the plan will be to actually use the private hospitals for some public patients to ensure there is still availability in the public hospitals for a potential influx of COVID patients.

 

[Sandiz08]

Our little league has a tentative date set for return, 5/11, being that the 4/30 social distancing/stay at home order for Texas will expire and probably not be reinstated.

 

[choirfarm]

Our little league has a tentative date set for return, 5/11, being that the 4/30 social distancing/stay at home order for Texas will expire and probably not be reinstated.

If that were the case, then I would think schools would have been allowed to reopen. But we'll see what happens.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If that were the case, then I would think schools would have been allowed to reopen. But we'll see what happens.

Depends. A lot of the states have their own order but then individual areas may have their own order. A state's order may not be extended but a particular area within the state may get extended, or a state's order may not be extended and a particular area within the state may choose to not extend their order.

Also not everything is interconnected in terms of activities and entities; meaning just because a school is closed for in-person learning doesn't mean all activities that have children in it will also be probhibited.

On March 17th the governor for my state (KS) closed all the school buildings for the rest of the year (going to online)..before any stay at home order in the state existed.

 

[pweyl36]

Yeah, why bother listening to the medical community or scientists? “Common sense”? Just what the heck is that? My governor is actually listening and paying attention to the medical community & the scientists and basing decisions upon their recommendations. That’s what I expect from my leadership. ”Common sense” says that you take it slow and respond as appropriately necessary. Unless you feel that some folks are expendable (yeah, they’re gonna die anyway right?) then by all means, just get right out there and ignore what’s being asked of you. Sure you have the right to do that. And I have the right to not be infected by you or others who feel that they know better.

EXACTLY!

 

[SaintsManiac]

I feel for the people who will be called back to work, but have no child care in place due to school closures. Lose lose situation.

 

[Sandiz08]

If that were the case, then I would think schools would have been allowed to reopen. But we'll see what happens.

It’s something along the lines of a school vs little league not being comparable. Some schools in our district could hold over 2,000 kids in closed quarters. The fields my son plays on are very wide open spaces and no more than 11 kids to a team. They sometimes hold practice with the group split up to give them more one on one instruction. Very doable if social distancing rules are relaxed. We have bleachers and such that parents could sit on spaced apart if necessary. As of right now the season is still on for this summer. They gave out the May date yesterday.