By Dr. Michele Dikkers, Physician at Cornerstone Family Practice and GMHC, Chair of Clayton County Board of Health

Now what?

The governor has changed the status of restrictions for 77 Iowa counties, including Clayton County.  What does that mean?  What can we do now?  What SHOULD we do now?

Though restrictions are being loosened, we need to remember the important things we have learned over the past 6 weeks:

– continue to practice social distancing, stay 6 feet apart
– wash hands frequently
– remember to stay at home when sick
– if you don’t need to go out, don’t
– if you have to go out, wear a mask
– stay home if you’re high risk

The Govenor has stated she has faith in Iowans that they will do the responsible thing.  Does that describe how you are approaching the guidelines and lifestyle changes that go along with the new world of COVID-19?

Raise your hand if you have a mask?

OK, now raise your hand if you wear it when you leave your house.

If you currently have the opportunity to be at work, raise your hand if you wear a mask at work, especially if you work with the public.

Now as some of the restrictions have been lifted, remember, that does not mean that all of the restrictions have been lifted. There are still expectations as described above.  But remember to reach out to those in your life.  Call the bank to ask questions, call for delivery of groceries or curb side pick up, have lunch delivered, or call your doctors office and make an appointment—it may be at a “Well clinic”, it may be a telemedicine visit, it may be a phone visit.  Call a friend and a family member every day, just to see how they are doing.

It is important at this time to reach out to the essential people in your life.  Pick up that phone, after all, that is why Alexander Graham Bell invented it!

Please remember to wear a mask when you leave your home and when working with the public.  It makes a difference, it helps make our job easier.  Thank you.

Remember, we are in this together.

By Dr. Michele Dikkers, Physician at Cornerstone Family Practice and GMHC, Chair of Clayton County Board of Health

May Day!  

Sometimes words can mean two different things, depending on context and perspective.  Reaching back to 5th grade English class, and a little help from my husband, I am reminded that these words are called homographs.

May Day! May 1st, the beginning of spring!  

OR 

May Day! I need help!

This year it seems to mean both, not one or the other.  One minute we are celebrating Spring! The grass is turning green, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing and migrating, we are dusting off the grills and we are opening up the windows and letting in fresh air.

But our reality is we are stuck at home, limited to traveling to the grocery store and back.  We are surrounded by the same four walls, the same people, the same TV stations. We are eating the same home cooked meals with limited carry out, getting tired of our own cooking.  We are wearing masks, knowing that they are important to wear, but feeling claustrophobic. We are worrying about who will become ill or if it will be us.  

Cabin fever at its peak!

Fear, stress and anxiety. What a trio. We typically look forward to spring because it naturally helps treat these issues by allowing us to open the doors and spread our wings.  COVID-19 has clipped our wings.  Now what do we do? 

There are a number of ways to self manage stress and anxiety at home.  Lets start with the taking a deep breath and know that you are not the only one with these feelings.  Everyone has these thoughts and fears.  So what do we do about them?

Management of anxiety and depression starts with a plan.  

• Develop a daily routine or schedule.
• Eat healthy, nutritious meals
• Keep a healthy sleep routine, get 8 hours of sleep a night
• Exercise daily
• Find a daily meditation or reflection
• Keep a daily journal or diary
• Find a family activity, even if it is just eating supper at the table together every night, preparing, cooking and clean up time together.
• Call or connect with one or two people each day.  Reach out to a family member or friend by phone or social platform

Connecting during this time with your primary care provider can also be beneficial. They want to partner with you on all levels of your health. Call his or her office, make an appointment (telemedicine is a great option). Keep in touch with a support group or your therapist. 

We can get through this, one day at a time.  

We are in this together.

By Dr. Michele Dikkers, Physician at Cornerstone Family Practice and GMHC, Chair of Clayton County Board of Health

Masks…should we wear them or shouldn’t we. It is obvious that those in health care are wearing them, but what about you?

Simply, the answer is YES, WEAR A FACEMASK whenever you are not in your home.

The CDC, Dr. Fauci, and the President’s coronavirus task force all agree that wearing a cloth face covering to cover the nose and mouth can be helpful in decreasing the spread of COVID-19.   The mask should be worn in addition to (not instead of) social distancing and frequent hand washing.  

It should be noted that wearing a cloth face mask is not intended to directly protect the wearer, but may prevent the spread of the virus to others.  Remember, we do not know when someone becomes contagious (when they may spread the disease to others). Being contagious may start before they show symptoms. 

The more people around you wearing masks, the less the chance that you will get the virus from them.  So by wearing a mask, you protect others and remind them that they should be wearing a mask too, which in turn protects you.  

Medical masks should be worn by our medical workers, cloth masks should be worn by EVERYONE.  

There are many patterns for “sew” and “no sew” masks on line.  If you don’t feel you are able to manage the creative task of making a facemask you may know someone that is up to the task.  I made mine out of old shirts that were in a donation pile and no longer being worn.  

If you feel you have no options, contact your local medical office, clinic or hospital, Clayton Co. VNA or Clayton Co. Emergency Management. We will partner together to get our communities masked. 

If you have been sewing fabric masks, please continue to sew them, and drop off at GMHC or Family Resource Center and we will redistribute them to our communities.

When you wear a mask, you are protecting and caring for each other.  Wear a mask when you go shopping, get your mail or work with anyone that you don’t live with.  

We are in this together.

By Dr. Michele Dikkers, Physician at Cornerstone Family Practice and GMHC, Chair of Clayton County Board of Health

The Covid 19 pandemic is bound to impact all of us at some point. 

My sister and her two daughters have been fighting it for 2 weeks, with muscle/body aches and pains, chills, headaches and shortness of breath. They describe breathing as painful, relieved only by humidification.  They are fatigued, saying that even taking a shower is taxing.  My sister is 47, tall, thin, healthy and works out daily.  She is on day 14 and continues to have fevers intermittently of 101.  Her daughters are college and high school age and started recovering on day 8, but continue with fatigue and cough.  They live in Iowa.  

They are fortunate to be among the 80% that will become ill and won’t need to be hospitalized.  

The other 20% of those that become ill WILL need to be hospitalized. To understand how many people will be impacted, look at the temporary hospitals that are being put up in New York and other places around the country, tents in Central Park, ships in ports, arena’s and gyms, all there to take care of the 20% that will have severe symptoms.

PLEASE STAY HOME.  

The goal of social distancing is to slow the rate of spread.  We know that the illness is going to sweep through our communities.  The hope is to slow it down – so we have enough hospital beds, supplies and medical staff to care for the 20% when needed.  

We know people of our community will become ill. The statistics also tell us that if 5 people in a community died of influenza this year, approximately 10 times that, or 50 people, will die of Covid 19 in a community.

Slowing the spread is the responsibility of all of us.  It means isolating ourselves to homes, to our communities.  The less you venture out, the less you bring the virus into your home and into your community, and the less likely you are to spread the virus to your family, friends and neighbors.  

It is time to take care of ourselves and each other by staying home. We must in order to get through this.  

It will be a trying time, but we can do it! We can do it together!

If you have any questions, please contact your health care provider.