COVID-19 UPDATES
May 18, 2021
In light of the new direction from the CDC and the State of Utah with regard to COVID-19, we have adjusted our office policy.
If you are fully vaccinated, you will not need to wear a mask within our facility. If you are not fully vaccinated, we recommend that you wear a mask upon entering our facility and throughout your stay.
We are committed to having a safe environment for both you, as our patient, and our staff. Please ensure that you help us by following our new guidelines.
IN-OFFICE APPOINTMENTS
If you are fully vaccinated, you will not need to wear a mask within our facility. If you are not fully vaccinated, we recommend that you wear a mask upon entering our facility and throughout your stay. Please call before visiting the office if any of the following apply to you:
TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENTS
In an effort to continue seeing our patients, we are still offering Telehealth services. Some examples of those include some prenatal visits, birth control discussions, menopause questions, period concerns, review of abnormal lab results or imaging and anxiety or depression. If you have questions or concerns, you can reach out to our staff and we can help you determine the appropriate appointment type.
We will contact you if there are any changes to your upcoming appointments. In the meantime, we are here for you and your health needs. Please give us a call, message us on Azova or chat with us using the orange bubble at the bottom of the screen.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General COVID-19 FAQ’s
Many of our appointments can be done via Telehealth, so if you are living with someone who has a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, please contact us. If you need to come into the office, we will take extra precautions to ensure everyone’s health and safety.
If someone in your household is diagnosed with COVID-19, you should limit as much contact as possible. However, we also understand that in many cases, you may be the main caregiver to that person. The CDC recommends the following when caring for someone with coronavirus:
- If possible, have them use a separate bathroom.
- Avoid sharing personal household items, like dishes, towels, and bedding
- Have them wear a cloth face covering (that covers their nose and mouth) when they are around people, including you.
- It the sick person can’t wear a cloth face covering, you should wear one while in the same room with them.
- If the sick person needs to be around others (within the home, in a vehicle, or doctor’s office), they should wear a cloth face covering that covers their mouth and nose.
We are unable to test, diagnose or treat COVID-19. If you are concerned that you may have the virus, the first and most important thing you can do is stay home, except for medical care. Many patients who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 are able to manage their symptoms at home. White testing is currently limited, it is available. You can call the CDC Hotline at 800-456-7707.
For testing in Utah, visit TestUtah.com.
Seek medical attention immediately if your symptoms become significantly worse or you develop emergency warning signs, which include (but are not limited to):
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or inability to arouse
- Bluish lips or face
- Call our office to schedule an appointment and let them know you would like to do a Telehealth visit.
- Click on the orange chat button in the corner of our website to chat with our front office staff.
- Schedule an appointment through Azova—a Telehealth platform that will keep your information secure and HIPPA compliant. Learn how to sign up for Azova here.
Sit back and relax! At the time of your appointment, you will receive a link via text message or email. To connect, simply click on the link to meet with your provider.
- prenatal visits
- birth control discussions
- menopause questions
- period concerns
- review of abnormal lab results/imaging
- postpartum visits
- anxiety and depression (change to Mental Health discussion)
Yes, please wear a mask for your next appointment. The Health Department is requiring that everyone wears one to ensure the safety of you and those around you.
Yes. The vaccine is safe and effective, and there are no known fertility concerns for you or your partner.
Pregnant and recently pregnant women are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people.
You may pass on protection to your baby if you get vaccinated while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Pregnancy FAQ’s
Even in this uncertain time, it’s important to continue good prenatal care! It is possible to do a telehealth visit for some of your prenatal appointments.
List of Appointment Types during Prenatal Care with info of what works for telehealth vs coming into the office
- wash your hands thoroughly and often for at least 20 seconds. Make sure you are cleaning between your fingers and under your nails
- avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible
- disinfect shared and high touch surfaces
- stay at home as much as possible
- stay at least 6 feet away from others if you need to go out
- wear a mask in public
- stay at home when you are sick
If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, please notify the hospital staff immediately upon your arrival.
If you have questions for the specific hospital you are delivering at you can contact us or the hospital directly.
At this point in time, only one visitor is allowed in the hospital. Every person entering the hospital will be required to fill out a questionnaire along with having their temperature checked. If your support person has been or is sick, they will not be permitted into the hospital. Photographers and videographers are not allowed in. No additional visitors will be permitted to the hospital. If you have any symptoms, are being tested for COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19, a visitor will not be permitted into the hospital with you.
Some hospitals will only allow one entry point from midnight to 5 am. If you are in labor at night, call the hospital before arriving so you know where to go.
Rules and procedures are constantly changing and we will keep everyone as updated as possible. If you have specific questions, please contact the hospital directly for their rules and regulations.
Unfortunately, we cannot allow multiple people or persons under 18 at appointments right now. You can bring 1 other person with no symptoms or restrictions with you to your ultrasound. This appointment’s main purpose is to assess your baby’s size, skeletal structures and internal organs. We know it also has been an important and fun experience for friends and family to learn the gender of the baby. We will create a gender reveal card for you to look at or share with friends and family or if restrictions and scheduling allow after COVID-19 subsides, you are welcome to come in for a free gender screening.
Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant people. Pregnancy causes changes in the body that could make it easier to get very sick from respiratory viruses like the one that causes COVID-19. These changes in the body can continue after pregnancy.
Read all prevention tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It is unknown whether a pregnant woman with COVID-19 can give the virus to her unborn baby. There have been no babies born to mothers with COVID-19 that have tested positive for the virus. Amongst these small number of cases, the virus was not found in samples of amniotic fluid and breastmilk.
Gynecology FAQ’s
Yes! Your care is our first priority and many of our patients need to be seen regularly. We have both in-office and Telehealth options available for appointments.
Annual exams will continue as normal and will follow COVID-19 protocols and precautions.
If you have symptoms of a bladder infection or UTI, please schedule a Telehealth visit. We do not complete a physical examination at these appointments, so you do not need to come into the office.
Birth control discussions and treatment can be done through Telehealth. Contact your group by calling the main number or sending a message through Azova, our secure patient portal. We would love to talk to you about the options available.
Some types of birth control methods such as IUDs and implants will require a placement appointment. During our Telehealth visit, we can make arrangements to schedule that for you.
We can help you in the office with IUD placements or removals. Contact your group to schedule an appointment.
If you are needing bloodwork ordered, we can schedule an appointment to take care of that. We are taking many precautions in the office by maintaining disinfecting procedures, spacing out appointments and checking symptoms of each patient at check-in. If you are concerned about coming into the office at this time, please contact a nurse or your provider to determine whether your blood work can be postponed until a later date.
Once we receive the results of your blood work, we will call you. If any follow-up needs to be completed, we will work with you on the best course of action to move forward.
Postpartum FAQ’s
- wash your hands before touching your baby
- avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible
- avoid touching your infant’s face
- disinfect shared and high touch surfaces
- stay at home
- limit all visitors
- wear a mask while feeding your baby
- wash your hands before touching breast pump or bottle parts. See the CDC’s guide on how to clean a breast pump.
The virus has not been found in samples of breastmilk. While there is limited research on breastmilk and COVID-19, we know that breastmilk provides protection against many illnesses. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.
- wash your hands thoroughly and often for at least 20 seconds. Make sure you are cleaning between your fingers and under your nails
- avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible
- avoid touching your infant’s face
- disinfect shared and high touch surfaces
- wash your hands before touching breast pump or bottle parts. See the CDC’s guide on how to clean a breast pump.
- stay at home as much as possible
- stay at least 6 feet away from others if you need to go out
- limit all visitors
- wear a mask in public and while feeding your baby
- stay at home when you are sick
Absolutely! Your postpartum checkup is where we will check on your healing process and discuss how you are doing with your new baby. This is an important checkpoint to keep you healthy both physically and emotionally.
No. If possible, we recommend leaving your baby at home to better protect you and them from COVID-19.
We are here to support you and want you to contact us if you are experiencing anxiety or depression. The sooner you call us, the sooner we can help you get the treatment you need.
If at any point you are concerned about the safety of yourself or your baby, please contact us immediately. We are available during office hours, but also have nurses available after hours. You can call us or message us on Azova, whichever is most convenient for you.
If you have any concerns about your recovery, please call or contact a nurse through Azova. We are here to answer your questions and help you determine the best plan for your health. It’s important to us that you have the support and care you need. Both Telehealth and in-office visits are currently being scheduled.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Currently, Valley is unable to test, diagnose or treat COVID-19. For more information about COVID-19 or if you feel like you may have the virus, call the CDC hotline at 800-456-7707.
At this time, it does not appear pregnant women are at higher risk of the virus, but we are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to make adjustments and recommendations based on what is best for the health of our patients. Call us or contact our nursing staff online with any questions you may have.
As a reminder, you can protect yourself from COVID-19 the same way you protect yourself from other viruses with a few basic practices:
We encourage you to review additional information and guidelines available at www.cdc.gov, www.who.int and coronavirus.utah.gov.