Seymour Dental – Level 1 Restrictions – Are we back to normal? YES! … well almost.
Recently announced reduction to level 1 means we are back to NORMAL … Not quite.
What is different to normal?
Screening and Social Distancing and Hand hygiene and personal protective equipment for aerosol protection.
In fact this may be the new normal for some time.
Screening
All dentistry can be done for everyone…..except if there is a risk of Corona Virus either by direct contact or by association with a high risk area. Also a risk is possible by being a venerable person due to a compromised health status or by age (over 70 years).
SCREENING QUESTIONS FOR PATIENTS RE CORONA VIRUS
- HAVE YOU RETURNED FROM OVERSEAS OR INTERSTATE TRAVEL IN THE PAST 14 DAYS?
- HAVE YOU RESIDED IN OR VISITED A KNOWN HIGH RISK AREA WITH A CLUSTER OF CASES E.G CERTAIN NURSING HOME OR “HOT SPOT” LOCATIONS?
- RECENTLY TESTED FOR COVID-19?
- FELT UNWELL, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO COVID-19 SUCH AS FEVER, COUGH, SORE THROAT OR SHORTNESS OF BREATH?
- HAD ANY CONTACT WITH A CONFIRMED CASE OF COVID-19 IN THE PAST 14DAYS?
- PRESENCE OF COMORBIDITY – SUCH AS OVER 70, DIABETES, IMMUNE-COMPROMISED, HEART PROBLEMS, RESPIRATORY DISEASE, CANCER, FLU…
CONSIDER LEVEL 2 TREATMENT – NO AEROSOLS AND TREAT AT END OF DAY AND IF AEROSOLS THEN USE A RUBBER DAM.
This means certain patients will need to be treated at a different level of restrictions. It’s more customised. Remember if there is an outbreak will need to be ready to increase restrictions. We can’t be complacent, but vigilant.
Otherwise it’s great news!
Social Distancing
Adherence to other government recommendations that are currently in place to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 must also continue.
This includes:
- Social distancing measures (1.5m apart and even wearing masks)
- Hand hygiene principles (alcohol rub sanitisers, if unable to wash hands, even gloves)
as applicable in both clinical & non-clinical areas, such as waiting rooms and reception areas.
This is to prevent transmission by aerosols. An aerosol can be transmitted by breathing out, sneezing, and coughing. Also that aerosol can be breathed in, but also it can fall onto surfaces. This can be picked up by your hands and if you touch your face, then transmission is greatly increased! So, sorry, there are no magazines or books to read in the waiting room. We want to make sure the practice is as safe as possible, by protecting everyone, i.e. the clinical staff, patients and visitors.
We are all in this together.
In this Covid-19 world we use personal protective equipment (PPE) gloves, masks, glasses, and gowns for infection control but also aerosol (droplet) protection. This protection also extends to the flu and other respiratory diseases.
Keep safe and see you soon!
Need an Appointment?
If you’d like to book an appointment with the dentist at Seymour Dental then call us in Dulwich Hill, Sydney on (02) 9564 2397 or
contact us
Next week
Treatment of Enamel Defects (Hypoplasia and Hypo-calcification) Blog Series