March 25 / 26 / 27 2020
Carilion Coronavirus Testing Updates
- No change from yesterday. We’ve treated six patients who have tested positive, five of whom are self-isolated at their own homes.
- VDH will be the agency to disclose cases by locality. As always, the most complete source of information will be the VDH tracker for the state.
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March 24 2020
Carilion Coronavirus Testing Updates
As of March 24, Carilion Clinic has treated four patients who have tested positive, three of whom are self-isolated at their own homes. VA Department of Health (VDH) will be the agency to disclose cases by locality. As always, the most complete source of information will be the VDH tracker for the state.
Carilion Community COVID-19 Hotline Now Available
Carilion now has a dedicated phone line to answer community and patient questions about coronavirus. The COVID-19 Community Hotline will be available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m to 5 p.m. beginning Tuesday, March 24. Community members can call 1-866-604-2873 for answers to questions about COVID-19 signs and symptoms and Carilion guidelines, available resources and our COVID-19 response. It is not a call center to make appointments, receive testing referrals or receive test results.
Carilion is asking community organizations, corporations and individuals to donate?Personal?Protective?Equipment (PPE) and other surplus medical supplies to help protect our staff and patients. While Carilion is conserving key supplies, donations from the community will assist by extending resources and providers’ ability to care for patients. We are not currently accepting handmade items but are evaluating if and how we might be able to use handmade items in the future.
Roanokers are asked to please consider any of the following items for donations:
Latex-free gloves
Procedural masks
Surgical masks
Surgical masks with shield
Nasal swabs for medical use
N95 respirators and N95 filters
Other respirators (P100’s, PAPR’s, and PAPR supplies/parts)
Face shields
Splash shields
Gowns
Hand sanitizer, greater than 60% alcohol
Hand soap
Disposable shoe covers
Disinfecting wipes
Drop-off locations and hours are:
Franklin County
Franklin County High School
700?Tanyard?Road
Rocky Mount, VA
Opens at noon on Tuesday, March 24
Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 25 – Saturday, March 28
Giles County
Goodwill Store and Donation Center
186 Boxwood Lane
Pearisburg, VA
Open 8 a.m – 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24
Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 24 – Friday, March 27
Lexington
Washington and Lee University Pavilion
159 West Denny Circle
Lexington, VA
Opens at 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24
New River Valley
Radford University David E. Armstrong Complex Parking Lot? E
501 Stockton Street
Radford, VA
Dates and times TBD
Roanoke
Tanglewood Mall parking lot in front of former JC Penney
4420-A Electric Road
Roanoke, VA
Dates and times TBD
Tazewell County
Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office
140 School Street, #3
Tazewell, VA
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 24 – Friday, March 27
Public questions about donations may be directed via email to [email protected]. As we get additional information on dates and times for specific locations, we’ll make that available.
Non-Essential Ambulatory Appointments Update
Effective immediately, Carilion providers will be reviewing patient records prior to outpatient, non-hospital encounters to determine if an in-person visit is needed. If an in-person visit is not needed, providers will contact the patient to coordinate a telephone or telemedicine video visit.
This follows a Carilion announcement earlier this month postponing all non-essential surgeries and procedures.
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March 19 2020
Carilion Clinic announced has confirmed that a resident from southwest Virginia has tested positive for COVID-19. The positive case is an elderly patient who resides within the Alleghany Health District.
The patient was admitted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital on Monday, March 16, exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and was tested. The patient was placed in a COVID-19 isolation unit. Results were received from a commercial testing lab March 19 and immediately shared with the Virginia Department of Health. VDH is overseeing the investigation to trace relevant patient contacts. The patient is in serious condition.
While treating the patient, Carilion’s infection prevention team followed all appropriate protocols to ensure that our staff and visitors remained safe.
As of March 19, Carilion Clinic had tested 172 patients for COVID-19, with 69 negative results and one positive. Carilion is awaiting results for remaining 102.
Most patients with COVID-19 have only mild to moderate symptoms or are completely asymptomatic. However, in a small proportion of patients, COVID-19 can lead to more severe symptoms, including death, particularly among those who are older or those who have chronic medical conditions.
Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms appear within 14 days of being exposed to an infectious person. COVID-19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
To lower the risk of respiratory germ spread, including COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Health encourages the following effective behaviors:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer only if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid contact with sick people.
This is a rapidly changing situation, and information is being shared as it becomes available on the following websites: www.carilionclinic.org/coronavirus, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus and www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/. Please consult www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus for the latest number of COVID-19 cases in Virginia.
The Virginia Department of Health has also activated a public information line, 877-ASK-VDH3, for questions from residents about the novel coronavirus situation.
