MEDIA ADVISORY- Back to School, Cold & Flu Season and COVID-19 – What do you do if you get sick?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Ilana Nikravesh
Mount Sinai Press Office
(347) 852-3382
[email protected]

(NEW YORK, NY – September 15, 2020) – Cold and flu season is quickly approaching – and the situation may be complicated to navigate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Doctors in the Mount Sinai Health System are encouraging the public to start planning now for healthcare options and to get flu shots early (Mid-September to early October for ages six months and older)– to avoid getting flu and COVID-19 at the same time which can lead to worse outcomes. Mount Sinai will have flu shots available starting September 15. Flu symptoms can mimic signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, chills, sore throat, cough, headache, muscle or body aches, runny nose, fatigue) – so it may be difficult for people to distinguish between the two if they start feeling sick. Regardless, if you have cold/flu symptoms or COVID-19 symptoms it’s important to isolate yourself and consult your healthcare provider.

“We don’t know what flu season will bring – we are hoping it’s less severe than previous years due to universal masking and social distancing – but we don’t want people letting their guard down even though the state has successfully controlled the number of COVID-19 cases. Wash your hands or use alcohol hand sanitizer frequently. Stay at home you if you don’t feel well, cover your mouth when coughing, and take this seriously to avoid infecting others, but don’t avoid going to the doctor if you need help,” says Bernard Camins, MD, Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Medical Director for Infection Prevention for the Mount Sinai Health System. “With many people still working from home and typically depend on their workplace for flu shots, we recommend they go to the pharmacy or their primary care doctor to get vaccinated.”

If you have COVID-19 or another respiratory illness like the flu you should:
• Stay home and only leave if you need medical attention
• Isolate yourself from others in your household by staying in a separate bedroom
• Use a separate bathroom if available; otherwise, disinfect the bathroom after using
• Everyone should wash their hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Dispose of used tissue properly in lined trash cans

The last six months have introduced unprecedented stress and uncertainty about what the future holds. With schools reopening and more people going back to work, there may be new transmission of COVID-19 or flu. As the public tries adjusting to a “new normal” even seeking medical care may seem more complicated than pre-COVID-19, but Mount Sinai experts say it’s important to start thinking about what you should do if you our your family gets sick. During the worst of the pandemic, many people ignored symptoms or delayed care because they were afraid to leave the house or go to the hospital. Mount Sinai experts advise having a plan for when to seek care is key, especially since some private medical offices have either shut down or now have limited office hours because of the pandemic. It’s important for the public to have direction on what treatment to get and the available options that suit their comfort level and their medical needs. Some people may need a symptom check or guidance that might be more suitable for a telehealth visit. Primary care providers can manage worsening chronic conditions virtually or in-person. More urgent conditions should be evaluated in urgent care or the emergency room.

“This cold and flu season it’s critical for everyone, especially families to recognize symptoms early and figure out how to get the care that you need. Hospitals like Mount Sinai are individualizing care and making sure that people have options so their care isn’t delayed. Care isn’t one size fits all,” says Brendan Carr, MD, Chair of Emergency Medicine for the Mount Sinai Health System. “We saw a lot of bad outcomes from people delaying emergency care over the last few months, and we want to send a clear message – that we are here for you when you need us. We have doctors that can video chat with you around the clock. Our urgent care centers, doctor’s offices, and emergency departments are following strict safety protocols and guidelines to protect our patients and our staff.”

If you think you may have COVID-19 or the flu or may have had contact with someone who has COVID-19, you can call your Mount Sinai doctor or use our telehealth service – Mount Sinai Now. If you have more severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, you should seek care at one of our Mount Sinai Urgent Care centers or in one of our emergency departments.

About the Mount Sinai Health System
The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City’s largest academic medical system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai is a national and international source of unrivaled education, translational research and discovery, and collaborative clinical leadership ensuring that we deliver the highest quality care—from prevention to treatment of the most serious and complex human diseases. The Health System includes more than 7,200 physicians and features a robust and continually expanding network of multispecialty services, including more than 400 ambulatory practice locations throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 14 on U.S. News & World Report’s “Honor Roll” of the Top 20 Best Hospitals in the country and the Icahn School of Medicine as one of the Top 20 Best Medical Schools in country. Mount Sinai Health System hospitals are consistently ranked regionally by specialty and our physicians in the top 1% of all physicians nationally by U.S. News & World Report.

For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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