There are many things you can do for yourself at home if you feel ill.

We are offering Telemedicine and have stocked up on Supplements and Chinese Herbal formulas that are appropriate for mild to moderate symptoms including cough, wheezing, fever, body aches, congestion, chest fullness and fatigue to name a few. There can sometimes be a digestive component as well.

● Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

● Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%-90% alcohol if soap and water are not available. COVID-19 can transmit through both respiratory droplets and via stool, so careful handwashing is critical.

● Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw it in the trash can. Cough or sneeze into your elbow and not your hand if you do not have a tissue available. If you contaminate your hand and then touch other objects, you will spread the virus.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Pay attention to instructions. Some cleaners require 10 MINUTES of contact time for disinfection to occur.

• CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others.

• You DO NOT NEED TO GO TO THE ER unless you are having trouble breathing or your fever is very high and unmanaged with meds.

• INFORMATION ON INCUBATION FROM PUBMED* “The median incubation period was estimated to be 5.1 days, and 97.5% of those who develop symptoms will do so within 11.5 days (CI, 8.2 to 15.6 days) of infection. These estimates imply that, under conservative assumptions, 101 out of every 10 000 cases (99th percentile, 482) will develop symptoms after 14 days of active monitoring or quarantine.”  *Thanks to our colleagues from the Maine Association for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine for supplying this information.

• Over the counter medicines can help including Acetaminophen (Tylenol) in 325 mg tablets, Mucinex, Robitussin or DayQuil/NyQuil.

• Clean, warm and easy to digest foods like chicken soup, cooked mushrooms, and miso soup are nourishing. Eat easy to digest breakfasts, like congee and porridges.

• Sinus steam inhalations, hot steamy showers with essential oils like Eucalyptus,  and chest rubs like Vicks can help open the chest.

• If you have a prescription inhaler make sure you have your prescription filled and on hand.

• Taking a hot shower and staying very warm.

• Hydrate. Drink lots of water.

• If you’re sick, you should not be leaving your house except to go to the doctor, and if you do, wear a mask (regular is fine, you don’t need an N95).

• Most healthy adult cases can managed at home with rest, over the counter meds and self care. Do not go to the ERs unless you’re actually in distress. The hospital beds will be used for people who actively need oxygen, breathing treatments, and/ or IV fluids.

• Kids overall seem to do very well with this virus and recover after a  few days of mild to moderate illness. Use a pediatric dose of meds herbs and supplements.