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COVID-19 Announcement

To Our Valued Patients regarding COVID-19/Coronavirus,

On Thursday April 3, 2020 Governor Jay Inslee extended the “Stay-At-Home” order to all Washington citizens who are not considered “essential” workers through 5/4/2020. 

Due to this mandate Alpine Vision Clinic will remain closed through 5/3/2020 for all but essential, urgent, and emergent eye care needs.  We will operate with minimal staff to address these types of cases. 

Should you have an urgent, emergent, or essential eye care need, please:

Plans to Reopen

We plan to reopen our office on Monday 5/4/2020 for routine vision care as well as urgent and emergent medical eye care. 

 

Safety Protocols

In order to reduce the risk of transmitting the COVID-19 virus, we are asking that all patients cooperate with the protocols below for the foreseeable future. 

For more information on controlling the spread of the virus please refer to this article.

Alpine Vision Clinic has always had a careful hygienic protocol in our office (using disposable items whenever available, washing hands and/or hand disinfection prior to seeing every patient, disinfecting exam rooms and equipment, etc.).  But we will be taking additional precautions that go “above and beyond” our normal processes. 

Please note that items in bold are things we are asking our patients to do to aid us in reducing the risk and spread of COVID-19.

  1. We are asking that all patients who exhibit, or who have exhibited within the past two weeks, any flu-like symptoms (fever, aching, chills, persistent cough, sneezing, respiratory distress) to reschedule their appointment for at least two weeks in the future.  This is especially important for patients 60 or older.
  1. We will be contacting all patients prior to their appointment to confirm their appointment, and we will ask if they are certain they have been free from any fever, chills, or other flu-like symptoms in the past week.  If they are not certain, or if they have been experiencing any flu-like symptoms they will be rescheduled for at least two weeks in the future.
  1. We will require all patients to bring and wear a facial covering/mask prior to entering the office, and use hand sanitizer upon entering the office.  Hand sanitizer will be provided by Alpine Vision Clinic.
  1. All doctors and staff will wear a facial covering/mask while interacting with patients.
  1. All patients entering the office will have their temperature taken with a non-contact infrared thermometer.  Any patient who records a temperature in excess of 99.9 degrees Fahrenheit will not be seen, but will be rescheduled for at least two weeks in the future.
  1. We will not see any patient who arrives and presents with flu-like symptoms, and they will be rescheduled for at least two weeks in the future.  Any person accompanying a patient with flu-like symptoms will be asked to leave the office.
  1. We ask that patients do not bring family members or friends to their scheduled appointment.  
  1. We have rescheduled all non-critical business related vendor representatives to a later date.
  1. Any office staff member who exhibits flu-like symptoms will be asked to stay home until they have totally recovered from their illness.  This may require rescheduling patients in the event that multiple staff members or the doctor are unavailable to see patients.
  1. We ask all patients who present with red and/or watery-sticky eyes to stay outside the office, and call the office at (360) 653-3305 or text us at (360) 276-9881 to notify us of their arrival.  We will contact those patients when we are ready to see them, and immediately escort them to an examination room.
  1. If a patient requires urgent eye care, and they do feel ill, the doctor scheduled to see them will decide if they shall be seen at the Emergency Department, should be rescheduled, or be seen and treated as above.  If the ill patient is seen, the examination room they are treated in will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected immediately following the conclusion of their treatment.
  1. We will not allow patients to bring food or drink of any kind into the office.  While food and drink do not appear to be a significant transmission problem with COVID-19, eating and drinking involves “hand-to-mouth” movement that may contribute to a touch-then-infect scenario

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has many resources regarding the COVID-19 crisis.  Arming yourself and your family with clear information will help you avoid undue stress.  Please review the link below for more information:

CDC.GOV – COVID-19

It is our hope that these days of uncertainty will pass soon. 

We at Alpine Vision Clinic feel it is our duty to do all we can to protect ourselves and our patients during this health crisis.  We have instituted various cleaning and disinfection measures within our office to protect our staff and patients, and we ask all who come to our office to practice good hygiene habits, have patience with the above protocols, and exhibit compassion during this trying time. 

While it is not time to panic, it is time to be prudent and do all we can in reducing the severity and impact of this disease as we proceed cautiously and wisely.

Philip T. Williams, O.D. and Staff

Posted On: April 22, 2020 @ 9:29pm
Posted In: News