UPDATE: COVID-19
January 11, 2023
How Goes the War?
Will Dabbs MD
The first verified case of COVID in the US was documented on January 30, 2020. A year
later we were suffering 23,000 deaths per week from this ghastly disease. Thankfully, that
appears to be behind us now.
COVID is still prevalent, and it is still dangerous. However, after multiple variants and
countless waves of infection the latest strains seem to be more contagious but less virulent. That
means COVID is easier to catch than was previously the case but not nearly so deadly. After
more than a million deaths from COVID nationwide, today’s variants typically present more like
a bad flu. Current COVID patients might be miserable, but the disease does not seem to carry the
same destructive power as was previously the case. That is something for which we can all be
thankful.
The staff at the Urgent Care Clinic of Oxford (UCCO) has had extensive experience
diagnosing and managing this disease. Testing is readily available onsite. While as of this writing
the antibody infusions no longer seem to be effective, there are several oral medications that are.
As these are investigational drugs, they are most typically reserved for patients with significant
comorbidities and risk for dangerous outcomes. Most healthy folk are sick for a few days and
then recover. A certain small percentage of COVID patients will indeed have some long-term
symptoms, but thankfully this is rare. Your UCCO medical provider can answer any questions
you might have.
The current guidance from the CDC is that those diagnosed with COVID should
quarantine at home for five days from the date of the positive test. On Day 6 they can resume
normal activities albeit in a mask for the following five days. It has been a hard-fought war
getting to the point where COVID is simply frustrating rather than being frightening. The staff at
the Urgent Care can help you weather the current COVID storm.
JUNE 1, 2020
Thanks for being patient with us as we begin to resume our semi-normal operations. We are now opening until 6:00 pm and hope to get back to our extended evening hours shortly. We are now cautiously bringing patients into the clinic to be treated but are asking each patient to call from the parking lot. Sign in and wait from your car. As soon as a room is available, our staff will bring you straight to a clean room. For your safety and the safety of our staff, we are not having patients sit in the waiting room. While we are happy to accommodate these requests whenever we can, please understand that some illnesses or injuries simply have to be seen to be cared for properly. Please wear a face-covering while in the building.
MARCH 26, 2020
The Coronavirus is affecting every aspect of American life.
Your safety is of paramount importance to us, so we have fundamentally changed the way we practice medicine these days. As of this week we have been seeing patients in their cars in the parking lot. It’s not quite like zipping through Sonic used to be (do you all miss that as much as we do?), but thus far this has worked out surprisingly well. You even get blood draws and flu tests from the comfort of your automobile.
I actually diagnosed illness through a car window while standing in the rain today. That was a first for me.
When you get to the clinic call 234-1090 ext 2 and the receptionist will walk you through the process. It’s honestly kind of fun.
Fret not, everything is still discreet, and nobody has to disrobe in the parking lot. However at least for the rest of the week we will have to stop taking patients at 4 pm. We will figure out next week when we get a little closer.
Please be patient with the chaos. We’re figuring this out as we go along. Well visits and regular checkups we are doing by telemedicine visits, so call to set one up with your UCCO provider. If your care requires more than we can do in the parking lot (suturing, x-rays, etc) then we’ll run into the clinic to do those necessary things. Hang in there. We’ll all get through this together.
Dr. Dabbs
March 17, 2020
As of this week we have been seeing patients in their cars in the parking lot. It’s not quite like zipping through Sonic used to be (do you all miss that as much as we do?), but thus far this has worked out surprisingly well. You even get blood draws and flu tests from the comfort of your automobile. Well visits and regular checkups we are doing by telemedicine visits, so call to set one up with your UCCO provider. If your care requires more than we can do in the parking lot (suturing, x-rays, etc) then we’ll run into the clinic to do those necessary things. Hang in there. We’ll all get through this together.