Unless you’re living under a rock, chances are that you’ve been hearing a lot lately about coronavirus, a highly contagious viral infection referred to as COVID-19. In fact, at this point there are very few people who haven’t been impacted by coronavirus in some way, whether it’s by having the condition, fighting frustration while trying to find basic supplies at the store, dealing with altered travel plans because of event cancelations, shutdowns, and the risk of contagion, or experiencing changes to their work environment as a result of the disease.
With several cases confirmed locally in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Largo, etc., many businesses like ours are making alterations to their operating procedures in order to protect patients and do our part in minimizing the spread of coronavirus.
*UPDATED OFFICE CHANGES EFFECTIVE THE WEEK OF 5/11*
Following Florida Governor Ron Desantis’s recent announcement lifting the ban on elective medical procedures, our office will be re-opening at our regular office hours starting on Monday, May 11th. Beginning on 5/11 we will start scheduling and performing elective surgeries for our patients, with the following precaution still in place:
All patients will be tested for COVID-19 at least 72 hours prior to undergoing their surgery. Patients who test negative may proceed with their surgery - those who test positive will have to reschedule for a later date. *We will coordinate with each patient to determine the timing and location of their pre-surgery COVID-19 test.
Office Changes Effective The Week of 3/16
As of right now, Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay has canceled all elective cases and will continue to cover strict emergency surgical conditions only. We have canceled office hours for consultations from 3/16 to 3/20. We are closely monitoring the guidelines from the CDC and the hospital systems that we operate out of, and will comply with all recommendations.
Please note that these changes are, at this time, only for the week of 3/16 to 3/20. We will continue to monitor the coronavirus situation as it develops locally, and will keep patients updated if there are any other changes to our operating procedures in the following weeks. In the meantime, we recommend that all patients comply with the following recommendations from the CDC and take extra steps to keep themselves (and others!) safe during this time.
Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly.
Stay home if you are sick. You can use this great resource to determine who to call, where to go, and at what point you need to seek medical treatment.
Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
Keep your surrounding environment (not just yourself) clean by regularly disinfecting all surfaces.
Practice social distancing by minimizing unnecessary social outings and avoiding activities with large groups of people.
There’s a lot that we still don’t know about coronavirus, but what we do know is that it’s highly contagious and, although for many people it may not be much more than a bad cold, it is very dangerous for patients who are immune-compromised, elderly, or anyone with existing pulmonary issues. Even if you’re not worried that you or your loved ones are at risk from coronavirus, it’s incredibly important that everyone does their part to minimize the spread of the virus and protect those who are considered higher risk by practicing appropriate preventative measures like the ones listed above.
If you have any questions about whether an upcoming appointment of yours will be impacted by the coronavirus situation, please don’t hesitate to contact our office. Be sure to check in here for all updates about our operating hours as the situation develops.