Update From the Desk of the Parish Nurse

FROM THE DESK OF THE PARISH NURSE
MAY 17,2020

At this point we know the recommended guidelines on how to protect ourselves and how to prevent the spread of the virus. Wearing masks in public places, frequent hand washing and social distancing 6 feet apart. The questions that most of us now have is when will we get back to “normal”? When can we resume our lives as we once have lived? When will it be safe? And how can that be done? There is much talk about testing, but information is complex and confusing. Depending on what source you read or listen to, the information can differ. Here are some facts from the CDC and State of New Jersey Covid-19 information Hub regarding available tests. There are 2 kinds:

1- Viral test checks for current infection with the Covid-19 virus. It is either a nasal swab or saliva test which checks samples from your respiratory system.

• Some tests are point of care tests done at a testing site and results are available within an hour

• Others are sent to a lab and analyzed and can take several days.

• At this point, testing is only recommended for those exhibiting CDC-recognized symptoms, health care workers, first responders, those in congregate living settings or those who have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19

• If you do not have symptoms, it is not recommended to be tested unless advised by a health care provider or public official

• If you do have symptoms, most are mild and can be managed at home. Notify your Dr who will follow the course of your illness and determine whether hospitalization is required and if testing should be done.

2- Antibody test determines if you had a previous infection with the virus. It is a simple serology (blood) test which is designed to detect antibodies that circulate in our blood to help fight off infections in our body. Antibodies do not appear overnight and can take up to 3 weeks or possibly longer to build up enough of a level in the blood to be detected by the test.

If you test positive:

• It means you have antibodies that probably resulted from being infected by the Covid-19 virus or a related coronavirus but cannot be a definitive diagnosis

• At this point, we do not know if the antibodies provide immunity from the virus

• It is possible that you were “asymptomatic”, which means you had the virus but exhibited no symptoms

If you test negative:

• It means that you probably were not infected by the virus

• If you have been exposed to the virus recently it can take 1-3 weeks for antibodies to develop

• Some people take longer to build antibodies and some don’t develop them at all

At this point, the New Jersey Department of Health states there is a lot that is unknown about the serology test for the Covid-19 antibody test. The CDC is working on a more accurate serology test but it is not available to the public…yet. The bottom line is to be smart as we continue on this journey. When in doubt refer to reputable sites and ask your doctor. New information emerges almost on a daily basis so keep yourself updated! The practice of holistic care always brings us back to Mind, Body and Spirit. Mind- Stay informed, be smart, stay calm. Spirit: Stay connected with your faith. The power of prayer goes a long way! Meditate. Breathe. Body- Eat right. Exercise. Get plenty of sleep.

We are here for you at Holy Trinity to pray with you, help you and walk with you through this journey.

Lori Arena R.N. Parish Nurse
Cell: (908)-337-4103
Email: [email protected]

To Mask or Not to Mask, No longer a question, but now new guidelines…..

So much data, so many theories, even the CDC is changing its mind….At the end of the day what is best is to protect you and your family. Stay Home/Stay Safe and when out follow all the recommendations and precautions. CDC now recommends wearing face cloth masks in public settings where social distancing may be more difficult to maintain (such as grocery stores or pharmacies). If you don’t have cloth masks, they can be easily be made with simple, common items you already have at home such as a cloth scarf or bandana and elastic bands. There are you tube videos demonstrating how to make them. 

Cloth face covering should: 

• Fit snugly but comfortably against the sides of the face 

• Be secured with ties or ear loops (such as hair ties, rubber bands) 

• Include multiple layers of fabric 

• Allow for breathing without restriction 

• Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape 

Wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, washing our hands all means we are doing what we have been told to protect ourselves and others to help prevent the spread of the virus. But what happens if we or our loved one has symptoms? DON’T PANIC…. 

Symptoms: When to call the Doctor? The majority of cases are being managed at home. Sore throat, dry cough, fever tend to be the presenting symptoms. Loss of smell and taste has also been documented. Contact your doctor who will guide you as to what meds to take and where to go for testing, if he is recommending that. People are checking in with their physician as they move through the illness. If shortness of breath gets worse, then hospitalization is recommended.  

Maintaining a positive outlook and develop some coping strategies: Take breaks from watching, listening or reading updates on the virus, take care of your body by exercising and getting enough sleep, eat healthy with well balanced meals, practice some deep breathing and stretching exercises. What I’ve been noticing is that people are getting back to the basics! We are all going stir crazy from being cooped up inside so there’s more walking, riding bikes and sitting outside on lawns and porches.  

New Jersey has a great state web page www.covid19.nj.gov Local municipalities are letting their people know what is happening in their town. It’s important to understand what is happening but it needs to be balanced with huge doses of prayer, discernment and inspirational reading. Trails of Plasma from recovered COVID-19 are in process and show promise. It is truly amazing to see a global effort by researchers to come up with a vaccine and medications that can successfully treat patients.  

Holistic care always brings us back to Mind, Spirit, & Body. The MIND making the decision to trust in God. Don’t panic… breathe. SPIRIT: Trust=Peace. BODY: eat right, Exercise, encourage others, wave to you neighbors, pray fully ask, “How can I help? “ “Are you okay?” A gentle question that shows you are open to talking more. Pray always changes things…and is always a comfort to help us and guide us. 

 We are here for you at Holy Trinity to pray with you, help you and walk with you through this journey. 

Lori Arena R.N., Parish Nurse 

Cell: 337-4103 

Email: [email protected] 

COVID-19 Preparedness

In addition to the precautionary measures that have been reinforced such as frequent hand washing, distancing from others, stay home when sick, clean and disinfect surfaces and objects, additionally consider the following measures: 

• Make sure you have fever reducing meds at home such as Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Advil ). Also have cough medicine of your choice such as Robitussin and Mucinex and fluids with electrolytes such as Gatorade. Please make sure these are not contraindicated with any pre-existing conditions. *Addendum by our Parish Nurse* There has been confliction information regarding the safety of taking ibuprofen if symptoms occur from COVID-19 (Coronavirus) for precautionary measures, consult your physician before taking this medication.**

• Stock up on a two-three week supply of food and water 

• Make sure you have enough supply of your regular prescription medications 

• If you have a history of asthma, make sure you have a prescription inhaler such as the “rescue” inhaler, Albuterol. 

• Humidifiers are good to have, however, steam from a hot shower and breathing in the steam works just as well.  

• Stock up on essential household items such as toilet paper, tissues, cleaning supplies, etc. 

• It’s a great time to make batches of your favorite soups and freeze! 

• Maintain electronic versions of your health records from doctors, hospitals and pharmacies and make copies if feasible 

• Good idea to choose an area or room in your home with or near a bathroom that can be the “sick room” to keep away from others  

• Stock up on baby care items 

• Don’t forget about your pet and his/her food and supplies! 

You can get updated information from the Town of Westfield website. If you know of any home bound person or neighbor that may not have access to computers or social media please contact the Town
(908) 789-4040 and they will notify the Police department who can deliver supplies to them if needed. 

You can email me at [email protected] as I will be checking on a regular basis.  

Stay well, 

Lori Arena R.N. 

Parish Nurse Holy Trinity