Dear Valued Patient,

Thank you for choosing Associated Physicians of WNY. It is our privilege to care for you and to provide you and your family with the quality service you deserve. The heart of what we do centers on caring with compassion and treating you like family. That means your safety and well-being are our top priority. Our caregivers are passionate and dedicated to being there for you at every step of your health and recovery journey.

By now, you have likely heard a great deal about the new Coronavirus. Coronavirus, also referred to as COVID-19, is an infectious disease first detected in China and now making its way to various parts of the world, including the United States.

Symptoms of Coronavirus includes

• Fever
• Respiratory symptoms, such as cough
• Shortness of breath.

COVID-19 is in a family of viruses similar to the common cold and therefore it is believed to spread - like other respiratory illness - through coughs or sneezes, or by touching an infected surface or object and then touching your own mouth, nose or eyes.

At Associated Physicians of WNY, we take the safety of our patients and our employees very seriously. Therefore, we are taking the following precautions to reduce the risk of spreading illness:

• If you have recently traveled to any country on the CDC’s high-risk list for COVID-19 exposure(https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html), DO NOT VISIT us without first calling us for medical advice. Current CDC guidelines are for travelers to these countries to stay home (“self-quarantine”) for 14 days. The guidelines apply even to returning travelers who have no cold symptoms. If you have an appointment for a physical or a routine matter, please call our office, and we will reschedule your appointment. If you have respiratory symptoms or are concerned about your travel history, please call so we may assist you.
• We are not seeing patients on a walk –in basis.
• If you have not recently traveled to one of the countries on the CDC travel list and you have active respiratory symptoms, please call our office to speak with a nurse. Influenza, bacterial pneumonia and non-COVID-19 infections are very common this time of year and are treated differently from COVID-19. When appropriate, we will provide medical guidance or treatment over the phone. If you are asked to come into our office, you will be given a mask to wear during your visit. If you are having severe respiratory symptoms, you may be directed to visit the nearest Emergency Room for evaluation and management.

We will soon be offering telehealth visits for sick patients using either your cell phone or via computer. To learn more about our televisits please download the Healow App to your cellphone.

We greatly appreciate your assistance and understanding as we learn more about the Coronavirus. A great source of information on this evolving situation is CDC.gov.

 Here are a few things you can do on your own to help keep yourself and those around you healthy:

• Wash your hands frequently, or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent ethyl alcohol.
• Avoid touching your face, eyes or nose to reduce the spread of germs.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow. Infections like the coronavirus spread through the tiny droplets in coughs and sneezes.
• Stay home if you feel sick. If you have flu-like symptoms or otherwise feel unwell, stay home and rest. Call your provider to reschedule your appointment for a later date. This will reduce the risk of spreading your illness.

Thank You