COVID-19 antibody testing is now available. We are currently use the Catalyst Health Network drive-thru testing sites. The test is done through a blood sample. You will simply drive up to the testing site at your appointment time and remain in your car. A healthcare team member will be with you to draw your blood. We ask that you remain in your car for 5 minutes before driving off to ensure no lightheadedness. Please come well-hydrated and be sitting on the appropriate side of the car with your preferred arm at the window. You do not need to be fasting for this. The antibody testing detects the presence of the virus and identifies patients who have been exposed to or recovered from COVID-19. The antibody test is different from the molecular COVID-19 test, which is done with a nasal swab to check for the presence of the COVID-19 virus. After infection with COVID-19, the virus antigen stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies that can be detected in the blood. Antibodies are produced by the immune system after a minimum 10 days of infection and remain positive after the infection. This is why the antibody test can be used to detect a past infection with COVID-19. Below you will find some answers to some of the frequently asked questions. How to get tested? In order to document medical necessity, you will need to undergo a virtual telemedicine visit with one of our providers before the test can be ordered. Once this visit is completed, if you qualify for testing, we will arrange a time and location for you to get your blood drawn and one of our testing sites through Catalyst Health Network. Who should get tested? If you had symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath or flu-like symptoms), and want to know whether it was COVID-19 (but should be at least 7 days from onset of symptoms). If you are asymptomatic, but may have potentially been exposed (close or proximate contact with a person known to be positive with COVID-19) Individuals subject to precautionary or mandatory quarantine Individuals employed as a health care worker, first responder, or essential workers who directly interacts with the public Individuals present with a case where facts and circumstances warrant testing as determined by clinician or health officials If you tested Positive for COVID-19 via Nasal Swab PCR - and want to see if you have produced antibodies that can be detected Who should not take the test? Those who are actively having symptoms should not be getting an antibody test done, rather a PCR nasal swab should be done. If you have had symptoms, please wait at least 7-10 days to take the antibody test, counting from the START of your symptoms. Sensitivity is higher 16-29 days onwards. Antibodies take time to develop - taking the test too early may not give accurate results. Why should I get tested for COVID-19 antibodies? Patients who are tested and have the antibodies can use this…

The CDC continues to study the spread and effects of the novel coronavirus across the United States. We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms. This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms. In light of this new evidence, the CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. At North Hills Family Medicine, it is now required that all patients must wear a mask while visiting the clinic. It is critical to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social distancing remains important to slowing the spread of the virus. The CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders. Cloth face coverings should— fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face be secured with ties or ear loops include multiple layers of fabric allow for breathing without restriction be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance. Tutorials can be found here for making a mask at home.

Maintaining your mental health during isolation and social distancing can be challenging. This is even more important when we are out of our normal routine and lack connection with our social network. The tips and resources below are designed to support you during this time. WHAT TO EXPECT: TYPICAL REACTIONS Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations such as an infectious disease outbreak that requires social distancing, quarantine, or isolation. People may feel anxiety, worry, or fear related to: Your own health status The health status of others whom you may have exposed to the disease The resentment that your friends and family may feel if they need to go into quarantine as a result of contact with you The experience of monitoring yourself, or being monitored by others for signs and symptoms of the disease Time taken off from work and the potential loss of income and job security The challenges of securing things you need, such as groceries and personal care items Concern about being able to effectively care for children or others in your care Uncertainty or frustration about how long you will need to remain in this situation, and uncertainty about the future Loneliness associated with feeling cut off from the world and from loved ones Stigmatization: If you are sick or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, you may feel stigmatized by others who fear they will contract the illness if they interact with you. Anger if you think you were exposed to the disease because of others’ negligence Boredom and frustration because you may not be able to work or engage in regular day-to-day activities Uncertainty or ambivalence about the situation A desire to use alcohol or drugs to cope Symptoms of depression, such as feelings of hopelessness, changes in appetite, or sleeping too little or too much Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as intrusive distressing memories, flashbacks (reliving the event), nightmares, changes in thoughts and mood, and being easily startled If you or a loved one experience any of these reactions for 2 to 4 weeks or more, contact your health care provider EXISTING CONDITIONS Those with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with their treatment plans and monitor for any new symptoms. If you notice any changes, contact your healthcare provider right away.  You may inquire about televisits (virtual visits) to help avoid exposures. WAYS TO SUPPORT YOURSELF UNDERSTAND THE RISK: Consider the real risk of harm to yourself and others around you. The public perception of risk during a situation is often inaccurate. Media coverage may create the impression that people are in immediate danger when really the risk for infection may be very low. Take steps to get the facts: Stay up to date on what is happening, while limiting your media exposure. Avoid watching or listening to news reports 24/7 since this tends to increase anxiety and worry. Remember that children are especially affected by what they hear and see on television. Look to credible sources…

As concerns grow over community-spread COVID-19, North Hills Family Medicine is now offering virtual visits with the hope of keeping sick patients at home and reducing exposures in the office. A virtual visit is an appointment with your provider during which live video is used. All aspects and quality of the visit are similar to an in-person visit, except you don’t have to commute to the clinic. Your first virtual visit (telehealth visit) might feel intimidating, but it shouldn’t worry you one bit.  With some preparation, you can be sure to have a great first visit and finish the session satisfied, and not feeling like the technology was at all a hindrance to connecting with your provider. The platform that we use is Zoom, one of the industry leading providers for secure, efficient video conferencing that allows us to provide HIPAA compliant, secure visits. Virtual visits are never recorded and are encrypted to ensure privacy. Here are some tips to make your virtual visit a success. Choose an appropriate setting and technology What you will need: Either a laptop with a camera or a smart phone with a camera. Internet connection/wireless connection Private area Plan ahead to make sure that you have a private setting for the entire duration of the appointment.  Most individuals have the appointment in their home or apartment, but on occasion, some individuals need to leave their home, go out to their vehicle or to a nearby park.  If you are going to be at work, you might want to schedule the appointment during your lunch break so that you can step away easily. Installing Zoom on your device. You must have Zoom downloaded on your device, but you do not need to create a Zoom account.  Zoom usually downloads automatically when you click the meeting link that is emailed to you when your appointment is made., but you can install Zoom before the appointment on your device here: https://zoom.us/support/download Zoom is available to be installed on a laptop, iPhone or Android device. Checking your internet speed Having fast, reliable internet is integral to the visit.  If your bandwidth/speed is slow, the video will lay and cut out causing a frustrating experience.  For some people in poor cellular coverage areas, this means getting on a wifi network.  If you live in a city, and have good cellular signal strength, you can most likely use your cell service, but keep in mind that if you use your cellular network, the data transferred will add to your monthly limit. To help you decide which network to use, go here to check your wifi speed. Greater than 10 mb/s on download and upload is recommended. If you are getting less than 10 mb/s, consider changing your network. If you are not getting internet speed greater than 1 mb/sec, you will not have a good experience and we recommend postponing the appointment until you can find faster internet. Testing Zoom Now that you have made sure you have a reliable…

To slow the spread of COVID-19 through U.S. communities, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has encouraged Americans to practice "social distancing" measures. But what is social distancing, and how is it practiced? What is social distancing? Social distancing is a public health practice that aims to prevent sick people from coming in close contact with healthy people in order to reduce opportunities for disease transmission. It can include large-scale measures like canceling group events or closing public spaces, as well as individual decisions such as avoiding crowds. With COVID-19, the goal of social distancing right now is to slow down the outbreak in order to reduce the chance of infection among high-risk populations and to reduce the burden on health care systems and workers. Why Is the CDC Recommending It? According to the CDC, coronavirus is spread mainly through person-to-person contact. It’s believed that people who are in close contact (within 6 feet of one another) are most likely to spread it. It spreads through respiratory droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of anyone nearby and may be inhaled into the lungs, which can spread the disease. And while it’s believed that people who are the sickest are most likely to spread coronavirus, some people might spread it before they begin to show symptoms. That’s why it may be important to practice social distancing even with people who don’t appear ill. It may also be possible to contract COVID-19 through contaminated surfaces or objects. An individual who touches a surface that has the virus on it and then touches their own mouth or nose, for example, may contract the virus. The CDC believes COVID-19 spreads easily throughout communities. So they have recommended social distancing as a way to help stop the spread. If individuals reduce their contact with one another, people will be less likely to pass the virus on. This can be the best way to prevent what they refer to as “community spread." While the CDC isn’t recommending everyone take drastic measures like isolating themselves, they are advising people to take precautions, especially those who may be at a higher risk for contracting the disease. Flattening the Curve You may have seen references in the news or on social media to "flattening the curve" as a goal of social distancing. When new cases spike very quickly, hospitals and other medical facilities can be overwhelmed and unable to adequately treat everyone—including patients who are not actually dealing with the coronavirus. Such spikes are more likely when social distancing measures are not enacted quickly and early enough. By slowing the number of new cases and stretching them out over a longer period of time—or "flattening the curve" of new cases—we can keep the number of total cases (and the number of high-risk cases) below that threshold, so that our hospitals have enough space and resources to operate as smoothly as possible during this difficult time.…

COVID-19 symptoms most commonly experienced include: fevers, cough and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Developing body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nasal congestion or diarrhea is also possible. In some cases people who are infected will not exhibit any symptoms, though most people experience a mild form of the disease, similar to a cold or flu virus. Certain groups of people may experience more serious illness, including older people (over the age of 65) and those with a history of medical conditions such as decreased immunity, high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease or diabetes. The current strain, known as COVID-19, is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. If you have any of the above symptoms and can answer yes to one or both of the following questions, then we ask that you stay at home and call the office to speak to a nurse before presenting to the office. Have you been in contact with anyone who either has been diagnosed with Coronavirus/COVID-19 and/or someone who is under investigation for having Coronavirus/COVID-19? Have you recently traveled to any of the following areas in the last 2 weeks? China Iran Italy Japan South Korea Once we have established your risks, we will contact the Health Department, that will then contact you to arrange for testing. In the meantime, if you suspect you may have COVID-19, we ask that you do the following: Stay at home. You might consider leaving home in order to seek medical care if your symptoms are severe, otherwise it is important to remain at home. Call before seeking medical care in a clinic or healthcare facility; the staff will be able to give you information on where to go upon arrival to prevent exposing other people to the illness. Isolate yourself. Staying in a room away from other people in your home is an important way to decrease the risk of your family or friends getting exposed to the virus. Use a bathroom that is separate from everyone else in the home if one is available. Is it also recommended to stay away from any pets that live with you. Although there is no known transmission between companion animals (such as dogs or cats) at this time, it is advisable not to be in close proximity to your pets until more is understood about the virus. You should discuss with your healthcare provider when it is okay to be out in public again. Wear a face mask. If you have symptoms suspicious of COVID-19, wear a face mask to prevent spread of the illness both at home and if you go to a medical facility for care. People that live at home with you should…

Although there is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, the best way to prevent infection is to take the following precautions: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Avoid close contact with people who are sick Stay home when you are sick Cover your cough or sneeze either with a tissue or by coughing/sneezing into your elbow. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a face mask. CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).   If you have further questions/concerns, please visit/call the following: Tarrant County Public Health Coronavirus Hotline: 817-248-6299 Coronavirus Website: https://www.tarrantcounty.com/en/public-health/disease-control---prevention/coronaviruas.html CDC-Center for Disease Control https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html WHO - World Health Organization https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses Catalyst Health Network Coronavirus Hotline: 214-964-0319 Coronavirus Website: https://www.catalysthealthnetwork.com/coronavirus

Coronaviruses are part of a large family of viruses, which can sometimes cause lower-respiratory tract illnesses, such as pneumonia or bronchitis. Coronaviruses are thought to be responsible for up to one-third of upper respiratory infections, more simply known as the common cold. COVID-19 is short for “coronavirus disease 2019.” This is the name that the World Health Organization (WHO) assigned to the illness caused by a newly discovered strain of coronavirus, which began its rapid spread in Wuhan City, China in December 2019. The symptoms most commonly experienced include: fevers, cough and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Developing body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nasal congestion or diarrhea is also possible. In some cases people who are infected will not exhibit any symptoms, though most people experience a mild form of the disease, similar to a cold or flu virus. Certain groups of people may experience more serious illness, including older people (over the age of 65) and those with a history of medical conditions such as decreased immunity, high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease or diabetes. If you have any of the above symptoms and can answer yes to one or both of the following questions, then we ask that you stay at home and call the office to speak to a nurse before presenting to the office. Have you been in contact with anyone who either has been diagnosed with Coronavirus/COVID-19 and/or someone who is under investigation for having Coronavirus/COVID-19? Have you recently traveled to any of the following areas in the last 2 weeks? China Iran Italy Japan South Korea The current strain, known as COVID-19, is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Cold Versus Flu What is the difference between a cold and flu? Flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. Because these two types of illnesses have similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms are more intense. Colds are usually milder than flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations. Flu can have very serious associated complications. How can you tell the difference between a cold and the flu? Because colds and flu share many symptoms, it can be difficult (or even impossible) to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Special tests that usually must be done within the first few days of illness can tell if a person has the flu.   Content provided and maintained by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Holiday Hours for North Hills and Keller Locations Wednesday 11/27/19 7:00am to 5:00pm (KELLER) Wednesday 11/27/2019 7:30am to 5:00pm (NHILLS) Thanksgiving Day-Thu-11/28/19 Closed Fri-11/29/19 8am to 5pm Fri-12/20/19 7:30am to 2:30pm (NHILLS) Fri-12/20/19 7am to 11am and 2pm to 7pm (KELLER) Mon-12/23/19 8am to 5pm Christmas Eve -Tue-12/24/19 8am to 12pm (noon) Christmas Day- Wed-12/25/19 Closed Thu-12/26/19 8am to 5pm Fri-12/27/19 8am to 5pm Mon-12/30/19 8am to 5pm New Years Eve-Tue-12/31/19 8am to 12pm (noon) New Years Day-Wed-01/01/20 Closed Thu-01/02/20 8am to 5pm Fri-01/03/20 8am to 5pm