DID YOU know?

Business owners preparing to fully reopen have much to look forward to in the months ahead. A rapidly growing population of fully vaccinated potential customers looking to get out of the house should benefit business owners bottom lines, and the work to prepare a business and keep it safe might have gotten a little easier as well. In April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged that the constant cleaning of surfaces and chairs is largely unnecessary. As scientists have learned more about the COVID-19 virus, they’ve learned that airborne transmission of the virus is much more likely than transmission of the virus through surfaces. Though it’s still best to routinely clean high-touch surfaces like doorknobs and card machines, and restaurants must still adhere to normal cleaning procedures so customers can enjoy safe, clean dining experiences, going all-out to clean and disinfect other surfaces throughout a business several times per day is likely unnecessary.

Social distancing guidelines encouraging people to stay in their homes as much as possible led many to wonder what to do regarding visiting their physicians. Telehealth is one option people may want to explore. Sometimes referred to as “telemedicine,” telehealth enables patients to speak with their physicians via phone, tablet or conferencing apps such as Zoom. This can help patients and their physicians reduce their risk for exposure to viruses such as COVID-19, but also other conditions that can weaken their immune systems and, as a result, make them more vulnerable to illness. But as helpful as telehealth can be while social distancing restrictions remain in place, it’s important that patients continue to seek the advice of their own physicians. One of the concerns about telehealth noted by representatives for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the difficulty of monitoring health care providers who may not have patients best interests in mind. This can lead to certain problems, including overprescribing medications and doctors offering medical advice to patients in states where the physicians are not licensed to practice. Speaking only with physicians who have already treated you is one way to avoid this potential pitfall associated with telehealth services.