Hello friends, as you know, we’re in unprecedented times.

In all my years of practicing medicine and caring for the community, I’ve never encountered a situation like the COVID-19 pandemic. It has hit hard in certain Iowa counties hard and, unfortunately, Marshall County is one of them.

Worse yet, the end might not be in sight. This virus is complex, it’s highly contagious, and people might not develop symptoms for two to 14 days once exposed. As a result, some people can be contagious without even knowing they’re ill. The illness can be randomly unpredictable, with some people showing very few signs of illness, and others becoming very ill in a matter of hours.

As expected, since the COVID pandemic is now community spread, more individuals will come in contact with the illness.  Since COVID-19 is a new, novel disease, recommendations and guidance from the CDC and Iowa Department of Public Health are changing as they learn more throughout this pandemic.  UnityPoint Health is following the direction of these entities, which includes screening and testing.

Since this began, we’ve seen new symptoms. In fact, CDC has added to its list of symptoms. Now, we know that people with COVID-19 can experience a variety of possible symptoms, which might include:

• Cough

• Shortness of breath or a sense of difficulty breathing

• Fever

• Chills

• Repeated shaking with chills

• Muscle pains

• Headache

• Sore throat

• Unusual loss of taste or smell

• Diarrhea

I’m extremely proud of the work we’re doing at UnityPoint Health. Our teams have responded to this challenge with courage, passion, dedication, compassion and positivity. We’re as determined as ever to help the community overcome this virus and return life to the way it was before.

We also can’t do this alone. We need the community’s help to stop the spread. We owe it to ourselves, our families, our friends and our community to practice safe habits. Fortunately, there are very practical steps everyone can take to reduce their risk of exposure to all viruses including influenza and COVID-19:

• Wear a facemask when you’re in public and follow the CDC’s recommendations for using it.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Stay home when you are sick.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after utilizing the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

If you haven’t heard, Raymon – Donco in Albion has already manufactured more than 11,000 fabric masks, more than1,600 plastic face shields and more than 1,000 aluminum mask spacers, and routinely gives them away to the community for free with help from Smokin’ G’s, the City of Marshalltown and the Iowa Valley Community College District.

I’ll say it again – I’m pleased with how our healthcare teams have stepped forward to fight this virus, and we’re going to stay here on the front lines until it’s defeated. We need your help to limit and even prevent the spread of this illness. I thank the community for its support and look forward to brighter days ahead.

——

Dr. Lance VanGundy is the Medical Director at UnityPoint Health – Marshalltown