In Montgomery County, Maryland we are heading into an expected surge in infections with the Covid-19 virus. We are trying to make everyone safer by following these precautions:

1. If you are having symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath:
   1. Call your primary care physician
   1. Stay home except for medical care
   1. Limit contact with others in your home
   1. Practice good hygiene with frequent had washing, cleaning common surfaces, and covering your cough or sneeze with your elbow, not your hands
   1. Manage symptoms at home with over the counter medications for fever and cough. Currently Nsaids such as ibuprofen are not recommended.
   1. Get plenty of rest
   1. Stay well hydrated
2. If you are sick, keep in touch with your doctor. Most cases of Covid-19 are mild and do not require a trip to the ER or hospital. If your symptoms worsen to high fever an difficulty breathing, call your doctor or health facility before you go there. This can help them to prepare for your visit.
3. If you are in Labor, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital remains open, but there are changes in procedures:
   1. In order to minimize exposure, only ONE visitor will be allowed in Labor and Delivery.
   1. Only the ER entrance should be used from 8pm to 5am.
   1. Visitors will be screened for flu like symptoms and will not be permitted to enter if positive.
   1. Visitors who have traveled internationally will not be permitted to enter.
   1. No visitors under age 18 unless they are a parent of a child in the hospital.
   1. Hospital Tours and Childbirth classes are suspended. We recommend as a substitute online classes such as www.mybirthly.com
4. Our office remains open, but we have suspended routine gyn visits. We continue to encourage prenatal visits as long as you have no symptoms of the virus. If you have questions about whether or not to come, please call us first. 
5. Unfortunately, we also must limit visitors to our office. We request that you do not bring visitors to our office including husbands, partners and children until this crisis has passed unless they need to be present for translation.