COVID-19 Office Safety Precautions
Is it safe to visit my doctor's office?
With proper precautions, it can be safer to see your doctor than going to your grocery store, neighborhood urgent care, or local pharmacy. There are far fewer people coming into our regularly disinfected medical offices. We can also ensure that patients and staff will be appropriately screened and tested for COVID-19 before their visit.
What is Dr. Markowitz doing to ensure the safety of her patients?
Mount Sinai has started screening all patients and providing masks for anyone entering the private patient clinics on 5 East 98th Street. They are cleaning the facilities, including elevators every hour. Dr. Markowitz has taken additional steps utilizing disinfecting mist sprays and HEPA air purifiers for all her exam rooms (similar to devices used in airports). We will also be sanitizing and disinfecting each exam room in between each patient visit.
I am in an area outside of NY that is less impacted by COVID-19. Am I better off going to see a local doctor
I can provide expert-level care, no matter where you reside in the USA. Play it safe, try tele-dermatology with an expert first before attempting a brave in-office visit. In the rare case that you do require an in-person visit outside of NYC, I can collaborate your care with my vast network of board-certified dermatologists.
Should I just push off my skin exam until COVID-19 disappears?
No, pushing of your healthcare needs is not safe. First of all, we do not know when COVID will subside; experts estimate it will continue beyond January 2021. “Waiting it out” has its costs, especially when fighting the most common cancer in the USA, skin cancer. Estimates for 2020 are that two people will die every hour of every day from skin cancer. In the early days of the pandemic, I was one of the first dermatologists in the NYC region to go entirely virtual. Some of the tools for home-visits include clip-on-scopes for smartphones and genetic “tape tests.”
How can I stay up-to-date with Dr. Markowitz?
Dr. Markowitz has been featured on TV and in many news articles recently. You can follow all these exciting updates on Dr. Markowitz’s social media channels including Facebook and Instagram.
Recent press:
What working on the front lines of COVID-19 does to your skin
Everything to Expect From Your First Tele-derm Appointment
Are you safe if you already had the virus?
No, reinfection is possible, as shown by a recent Italian report in the journal Infection. Additionally, most people that think they had coronavirus actually tested negative for the virus.
Should I find out if I am immune with the new antibody blood test?
No, these tests are not accurate and commonly give false reassurance. Even the best tests from Mount Sinai are primarily being used for disease mapping, not for personal immune status.
Other Resources:
For more information on which mask to wear, and best safety practices, see additional links below.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best-materials-diy-face-masks-filters_l_5e8ce4c6c5b6e1a2e0fb4ada
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-diy-coronavirus-homemade-mask-material-covid/