It is all over the news: the corona-virus (COVID-19). Regularly the information regarding the Corona virus and how to deal with the epidemic is updated.

The main message for you as a patient is:

• Do you have complaints of the airways (coughing, coughing up mucus, shortness of breath, nasal congestion and/or sore throat, headache, loss of smell, muscle aches? Look at https://thuisarts.nl/vragentest/coronafor more information) AND do you have a fever (38 degrees Celsius or higher) or a feverish feeling (if you’re 70 or older)? Call our practice (so do not visit our practice) at 071-5319300 for further advice. Or call the GP-ward outside office hours: 088 – 427 47 00
• Do you have mild complaints mentioned above without a fever, look at nl,  RIVM, Rijksoverheid. Or call the national phone number of the RIVM for information: 0800-1351.
• Get tested when you have complaints mentioned above. Call 0800-1202 to make an appointment for a test.

 

With these complaints, we don’t want you to vist our practice. That way you will not infect other patients or caregivers.

From March 16^th 2020 our practice changed the way it worked. The planning got different. Slowly, regular appointments are being planned. And of course we keep to the official advice in keeping 1,5 meters distance from each other. Everyone who gets an appointment will be asked if they have any corona-like symptoms. We hope for your understanding. The goal of this approach is to minimize the chance of spreading the corona-virus and to minimize the chance of caregivers being infected.

If you have a medical complaint and you have complaints of your airways without a fever, special appointments can be made. A GP in protective gear will help you. We will ask you to wait outside the building. You will receive a call when you can enter. So be sure to have a cellphone with you. After the appointment you will be asked to leave the building. Medication can be collected in the pharmacy only by someone without complaints of the airways.

Online appointments are temporarily not possible

 

Advices:

• Only visit our practice if you have an appointment. If you want to contact our practice: call our practice, or send an e-consultation through net
• Follow the guidelines of the RIVM. So: wash your hands regularly, cough and sneeze in the inside of your elbow, use paper napkins, do not shake hands and stay at home if you have any airway symptoms.
• Try to touch your face as little as possible. Contaminated surfaces can contain viruses, and through touching your face they can reach the airways.
• Keep a safe distance from each other, preferably at least 1,5 meters (for instance while doing groceries). Try to limit social contacts (social distancing). In public spaces, use your gloves, sleeves or elbows for doorhandles, elevator buttons, shopping carts et cetera.
• People in the Netherlands are encouraged to work from home as much as possible or to spread the working hours.
• For vulnerable people (the elderly and people with low resistance): avoid large groups of people and public transportation. People are urgently advised to limit visits to vulnerable people.

 

Testing for Corona-virus

It is decided that everyone in The Netherlands who has signs of a Corona-infection can be tested for the virus. To have that done, you don’t need a referral from a doctor. So there is no need to call our practice for this.

To have the test, everyone can call a specific phone number. There the test can be scheduled. On this website, more information can be found regarding the wat testing is organized.

 

 

More information:

https://www.rivm.nl/en/novel-coronavirus-covid-19

https://www.pharos.nl/the-coronavirus/

https://www.government.nl/topics/c/coronavirus-covid-19

 

 

 

 

 

Useful links:

Current information by RIVM

Corona-data visualised

COVID-19 realtime