26 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • OCTOBER 1, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
Jamaica Hospital announces opening of Post-COVID Care Center
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e MediSys Health Network is opening
a Post-COVID Care Center on Th ursday,
Sept. 24, in Hollis Tudor, where patients
— referred to as “long haulers” — as well
as others experiencing long-term eff ects
of the coronavirus can receive
spe- cialized care from a
multidisciplinary
group of qualifi ed
physicians.
The MediSys
Health Network
c o m p r i s e s
Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical
Center, the Trump Pavilion for Nursing
and Rehabilitation, and a network of
community-based MediSys ambulatory
care centers.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the
MediSys Hollis Tudor clinic, located at
200-16 Ave. in St. Alban’s, served as a specialized
acute illness site where doctors
doctors saw patients who had COVID
symptoms, according to Dr. Alan
Roth, chairman of Ambulatory
Care and Family Medicine at
Jamaica Hospital.
Amid the early stages of the
pandemic, most health authorities
were operating under the belief that
the virus, while extremely
dangerous for some, was a
short-term illness. Most
young, healthy individuals
who tested positive
for the virus were told to
expect to sustain a variety
of symptoms that
could last anywhere from
two to six weeks.
However, doctors are
now seeing a growing
number of patients who are
enduring lingering symptoms
for an extended
period of time.
“People have a vast
array of symptoms —
some of them are very generalized like
fatigue, body pain and others became more
specifi c such as loss of smell or taste,
cough, shortness of breath, and then we’re
seeing neurological changes like decrease
of concentration, stability to think through
things, especially in naming things,” said
Roth, who also became sick with the virus.
According to Roth, other patients, or
“long haulers,” may also experience mental
health issues such as anxiety, depression,
lack of motivation and sleeping problems.
Some of the most common lingering
symptoms include fatigue, muscle and
body pain, shortness of breath, dizziness
and headaches.
For Dr. Marwa Eldik, a resident and
patient who contracted the virus at the
end of March, some of those symptoms
that have continued include shortness of
breath, fatigue, and loss of taste and smell,
she said.
Eldik was quarantined for two weeks and
returned to work a week before the peak of
the pandemic.
“I had a very strong support in getting
through a lot of the emotional things that
are attached to still having these symptoms,”
Eldik said. “I think the post-COVID clinic
is such a great resource for people who
do have long haulers syndrome to be able
to have access to teams that dedicate their
time and resources to making sure that all of
these issues — whether it be mental health
or physical symptoms get addressed.”
For patients who are not reaching out
and accessing care, according to Roth, it
may be a result of other people’s responses
stating that they may just be depressed,
are working extensive hours or it may not
be related to COVID at all.
“I had COVID and we were working
24 hours a day seven days a week and
we were stuck in a fog going through the
days, and it wasn’t until things settled
down in the last month or two that we all
realized how bad we felt both physically
and mentally,” Roth said. “It wasn’t fi rst
recognized and that’s why you’re hearing
about this term ‘long hauler’ now.”
Th e MediSys Health Network’s post-
COVID care center will provide patients
with personalized, comprehensive care,
coordinated by a primary care physician,
who will work with other on-site specialists
that includes pulmonologists, neurologists
and psychiatrists — all dedicated
to helping patients better their condition.
“Queens was considered the epicenter
of the coronavirus pandemic in March
and April. During that time we treated
thousands of patients. While the situation
in our community has greatly improved
recently, we know that there is still work
to be done, including continuing to treat
patients living with long-term symptoms,”
Roth said.
To schedule an appointment at the Post-
COVID Care Center, call 718-736-8204.
Your guide to children’s fall allergies during COVID-19
BY NEW YORK FAMILY
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Fall allergy season is here in New York.
Allergy season is at its height during
spring, but for kids, especially ones who
have been cooped up indoors, allergies
can still hit into fall. We spoke with Dr.
Natasha Burgert, a board-certifi ed pediatrician,
to discuss simple health tips for
kids and allergens as they return to school
and outside in the time of COVID-19.
As we head into fall, what sorts of
allergies do we need to be concerned
about?
Most people with allergic symptoms in
the fall are reacting to ragweed, dust and
molds. Ragweed is a plant and its pollen
can travel very long distances in the
air. Even if you don’t live in an area with
lots of ragweed plants, you can still be
aff ected by this pesky pollen. Molds and
dust cause trouble year-round, but as we
start to spend more time indoors and
use indoor heating systems, reactions to
these irritants can increase. Some children
will start to get allergic symptoms
when returning to school since the school
buildings collect mold and dust during
the summer months. Th is could be particularly
signifi cant this school year, when
many school buildings have been closed
and quiet since March.
What is the diff erence between allergy
symptoms and COVID-19 in children?
Most simplistically, allergies itch. Th e
symptoms of environmental allergies
are caused by the release of histamine.
Histamine causes infl ammation and itching
of the eyes, nose, skin and airways.
Th is will cause children to cough and
sneeze, but is not associated with fever
or other signs of illness such as fatigue,
severe headache, nausea or vomiting. If
children are going to be symptomatic with
COVID-19, they will show signs of illness.
What are the common allergy symptoms
in children?
Th e goal of the body’s reaction to an
allergen is to get rid of it. Histamine is
released to make the watery eyes, coughing,
sneezing and runny nose help us
to remove the irritant from our system.
Children with seasonal allergies at my
offi ce usually have uncontrollable runny
noses, sneezing, itchy and watering eyes,
cough and tiredness. Th ese symptoms
negatively aff ect their days of school and
play. For example, kids with uncontrolled
allergies have been shown to have more
problems with inattention during the
school day, lower exam scores during
peak allergy season, and sleep disruption
that can lead to behavior and mood
changes. Treating seasonal allergy symptoms
with a safe and eff ective oral antihistamine
that can last through the entire
school day and does not have any drowsy
side eff ects is important. In my practice, I
recommend long-acting, non-drowsy oral
antihistamines, like Children’s Allegra, for
preschool and school-aged kids.
Does having seasonal allergies
increase getting COVID-19?
We have not seen this association in
children.
Now that kids are inside more than
ever, what are ways parents can help in
keeping allergens to a minimum?
Th e symptoms of allergies are caused by
a physical particle that triggers the nasty
histamine release. Keeping those particles
out of your home is an important part of
allergy management. During peak allergy
season, using the AC while keeping
home and car windows closed during
the day will help keep particles out.
Familymembers should keep shoes and
jackets outside so pollens don’t hitch a
ride into the house, if there is a safe place
to do so. Kids with allergies should bathe
well including a good hair scrub before
bed. Th is will remove pollen from the
skin and hair aft er a day of play, keeping
the allergens out of the bed during
sleep. Finally, routine washing of clothes,
and rug and carpet vacuuming with a
HEPA fi lter can all help keep the indoor
air clean.
Getty Images
Photos courtesy of Jamaica Hospital
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