Medical Advisory for COVID-19
Thank you for trusting Arizona Sinus Center and Valley ENT with your healthcare. We strive to provide the best care and information for our Patients. We remain ready to help you with your ongoing nasal and sinus care needs in person or via telemedicine evaluation. See important updates regarding our clinical services below and keep in mind that additional up to date COVID19 information is available from the CDC (cdc.gov) and the Arizona Department of Public Health (azdhs.gov).
Valley ENT-Arizona Sinus Center is currently providing appointments for your nasal and sinus conditions in our offices or via telemedicine. Call us at (602) 258-9859 to determine if your problem is best evaluated in-person or via telemedicine. If you are being treated with chemotherapy or immunosuppressive medications, have diabetes, heart or lung disease please inquire whether your appointment should be in-person or via telemedicine.
Regarding your in-person appointment: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Valley ENT-Arizona Sinus Center has modified its outpatient visit services based on the guidance of the CDC and the risk of AZ local community transmission.
For on-site office and clinic visits:
- We ask that you are accompanied by no more than one family member or visitor.
- Please consider wearing a mask in the doctor’s office/clinic. Cloth masks are appropriate.
- Fill out any possible paperwork in advance, and consider bringing a pen or writing instrument with you to decrease person to person contact in the office.
- Practice social distancing in waiting rooms and lobbies. Maintain an appropriate distance from others in our waiting room (except for your own family member).
- Please reschedule your in-person office visit and consider a telemedicine visit if you have tested positive for COVID-19 (SARS CoV-2) within the last 14 days.
- Please reschedule your in-person office visit and consider a telemedicine visit if you have had close personal contact with a known COVID-19 patient within the last 14 days.
- Please reschedule your upcoming in-person office visit and contact your primary care provider’s office if you have developed new fever (>100.4 F), cough, or shortness of breath.
*Valley ENT-Arizona Sinus Center remains committed to a clean patient environment. We continue our disinfection standards for all equipment, patient contact areas and surfaces and exam rooms between every patient encounter. We have increased our daily office disinfectant cleaning to morning, noon, and evening. We will avoid shared contact items such as magazines, toys, etc. at this time.
*We are not set up to test for and treat active COVID-19 infection at this time as we are not an acute care facility. Patients with active symptoms of COVID-19 infection are asked to stay home or visit an acute care facility after contacting them first. The recommendations for testing will likely continue to change and will be updated at the websites above. COVID-19 symptoms including fever (>100.4 F), new onset cough, shortness of breath and new onset loss of sense of smell).
For your information, the WHO and the CDC recommend following the standard precautions for avoiding respiratory viruses:
- Wash hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth if your hands aren't clean.
- Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
- Avoid sharing dishes, glasses, bedding, and other household items if you are sick.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces you often touch.
- Stay home from work, school, and public areas if you're sick.
- Maintain distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing (about 6 feet).
- Avoid contact with others and/or wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.