Page 5 - South Florida Hospital News July 2021

COVID-19 Pandemic When It Comes to Patient Care

Questions to Consider – Get Back “Normal”

To say my daughter’s college graduation a lit-
It’s been quite a ride through this pandemic, and yet tle more than a year ago was uneventful would
much about life with COVID-19 in our midst remains to be an understatement. During the COVID-19
be explored. Every day, I answer questions posed by my lockdown, she and our family watched the
patients and their parents regarding the virus that has YouTube video from our living room as Rollin’s
affected our lives such as these below. College quickly flashed a picture of her on the

Q. Who needs a booster and when is the screen. The entire school had been told in
best time to receive it? March 2020 to head home for the rest of the
semester. She started her master’s program at
A. Pharmaceutical companies are researching booster UF last summer and although she was now
shots and they may be available later this year. Pfizer doing lab work on campus in Gainesville, strict
CEO Albert Bourla recently commented that the research rules prohibited visitors.
to date supports the need for a booster somewhere As the COVID rules softened last month, we BY JAY JUFFRE
between eight and 12 months. Another of the leading BY CHAD R. were excited to go visit her and see the campus.
manufacturers, Moderna, is studying three potential SANBORN, MD I booked a nice hotel for our stay. Upon arriving
boosters: a one-time, lower-dose shot that targets the and checking in, wow, were we disappointed. Although wearing masks was
original coronavirus; a shot that specifically attacks the now optional for the vaccinated, the room was still in full blown pandemic
B.1.351 (South African) and P.1 (Brazilian) variants; and a third, also a lower-dose mode. No microwave, no coffee maker, no iron, or ironing board. There
combination of the two (original and variant boosters). A booster that works on the were notes explaining that for my “safety” these items had been removed.
Delta variant is likely to be developed also. Moderna is working with the FDA to see More notes explained that no housekeeping would be performed during my
if people who received another brand of vaccine can get a booster by Moderna safely. visit to “protect” me and the staff. If I needed more towels, simply call the
This would make it logistically easier for everyone if we can prove that mixing and front desk. Of course, the rate was not reduced to reflect the reduced serv-
matching of different vaccines is safe and as effective. ice.

Q. Do you recommend that people wear masks to walk into a I immediately thought of this column and what we as service providers
restaurant, even though most of us take it off at the table? should be doing to find the balance between navigating the slowing pan-
demic and increasing client experience. A little more than a year ago, we
A. This question doesn’t have an easy, logical answer but illustrates the difficulty were all talking about the “new normal.” Well, we need to start doing it
that we in the public health community have when making recommendations. We all again. What is the new normal as cases and deaths decline and patient and
know that if you are indoors and in close proximity to others without masks, there staff expectations start to rise? Get with your teams. Talk about it. The
is a higher chance of spreading or contracting COVID-19. At the same time, you can’t organizations which can deliver the best possible care and experience, while
eat or drink with a mask on. A compromise chosen by most restaurants is to ask still keeping everyone safe, will be the winners. It could be an opportunity
patrons to wear their masks until they reach their tables and when they get up again to regain your pre-COVID spot as a world class caregiver or pass everyone
to use the restroom or for any other reason. It’s not any ‘safer’ to be in a restaurant/bar who stays stuck in neutral and is slow to change.
within six feet of another person without a mask than it is anywhere else. I tell
patients that it is still important to take precautions such as wearing masks and using Jay Juffre is Executive Vice President, ImageFIRST. For more information on
hand sanitizer when in public. Otherwise, we would allow COVID-19 to continue to ImageFIRST, call 1-800-932-7472 or visit www.imagefirst.com.
spread and mutate.

Q. I’m about to deliver my second child. Should I limit visitors?
Should my older child, who is four, wear a mask around the
baby?
A. Newborns can have visitors, but with precautions. I do recommend that parents
consider limiting the number of visitors the baby is in close contact with, which was
also true before the pandemic. Babies are unprotected when they are separated from
the placenta, so I recommend that households with an infant limit their exposure to
people outside of the household for the first two to three months. Your older child
and visitors should wear a mask around the baby. These precautions will help you
avoid all the common viruses, not just COVID-19. The flu, RSV and rotavirus are
dangerous for infants.

Dr. Chad Sanborn is a board-certified pediatric infectious disease specialist with KIDZ
Medical. He practices at Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s Medical Center;
Baptist Health South Florida Bethesda Hospital East; The Children’s Hospital at Palms
West, and West Boca Medical Center.

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