Vaccine

COVID 19 FAQ

What are Unorthodoc's safety precautions & procedures?

Unorthodoc and Coronavirus (COVID-19) "Wash your hands and open your hearts." UNORTHODOC IS STILL OPEN, providing safe, sane, accessible health care through the COVID-19 outbreak and beyond. If your care has been less than stellar elsewhere during the pandemic, consider Unorthodoc. We are actively enrolling new members* and families. What we are doing to protect you (and ourselves): Unorthodoc has been set up to do remote visits (video, phone and text) since we opened in 2015 so virtual care is nothing new for us. We were prepared long prior to the pandemic. Currently, we are in the physical office a few times a week to do the things we can’t do remotely. Many of those visits can still be done from the car. When we must bring people into the office, we bring in only one person/family at a time and decontaminate our surfaces after each patient. We meet you at the door and escort you in, so you do not have to touch door handles, etc. We've taken up all the toys, books and magazines in the office. We've installed a portable sink in the exam room for your comfort and so you can also see us wash our hands before and after exams, as well. *We are currently open to enrollment for all except those with Medicare insurance. This is due to Medicare rules. We hope to be able to accept all patients soon.



Who should get tested for COVID19?

Who Should Get Tested?

  • Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19.
  • Close contacts of known positive cases, regardless of symptoms.
    • Get tested immediately if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. If you do not have symptoms, you should wait at least six days after your last known exposure to COVID-19 before you get tested.
  • Populations with higher risk of exposure or a higher risk of severe disease if they become infected. People in these groups should get tested if they believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19, whether or not they have symptoms.
    • People who live in or have regular contact with high-risk settings (e.g., long-term care facility, homeless shelter, correctional facility, migrant farmworker camp).
    • People from historically marginalized populations who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. This fact sheet provides best practices for community testing in historically marginalized populations.
    • Frontline and essential workers (grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, child care workers, construction sites, processing plants, etc.)
    • Health care workers or first responders.
    • People who are at higher risk of severe illness.
  • People who have attended protests, rallies, or other mass gatherings could have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or could have exposed others.
Click here for more information from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services about COVID19 and testing



What can I expect and what should I do if I am diagnosed with COVID19?

Most people who get COVID-19 recover without needing medical care. If you are experiencing severe, life threating symptoms (for example, severe difficulty breathing, altered thinking, blue lips), seek immediate medical care or call 9-1-1.

We are here to help if you are our patient and you've been diagnosed with COVID19. Please call or text us so we can provide you with personalized advice.

EMERGENCY warning signs for COVID-19:

Seek medical attention immediately if you or your housemates have:

  • Trouble breathing

  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

  • New confusion or inability to arouse

  • Bluish lips or face

This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.



What can we all do to prevent COVID19 transmission?

  1. Wear a cloth mask that completely covers your mouth and nose. Here's why it matters.

  2. Wash your hands frequently, and keep them away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.

  3. Use hand sanitizer that is at least 62% alcohol when soap and water are not available in all instances where you would otherwise need to wash your hands.

  4. Observe distance when you're being social. Put at least 6 feet between you and the next closest person.

Stay Informed:

North Carolina Health Department

World Health Organization

Centers For Disease Control



Where can I get tested for COVID19?

  1. Unorthodoc can do COVID PCR nasal swab testing ($120) and blood antibody testing ($50) for members. Our lab currently has an average 2-day result turn around although turn around varies as the number of NC cases change.
  2. No-Cost Community Testing Events coordinated by NC Department of Health and Human Services.
  3. College students: If you live at or near your college, you can often be tested for free at your student health center.
  4. MedFirst Chapel Hill - has the rapid test, less accurate but faster. If you test negative there but believe you had an at-risk exposure 6 or more days ago, retest in 24-48 hours.
  5. FastMed Chapel Hill
  6. IndyCare Hillsborough
  7. CVS pharmacies and Minute Clinics
  8. Walgreens pharmacies
If you are still having trouble accessing tests, please call the following hotline #s
  1. UNC COVID-19 Hotline: 888-850-2684, available to patients in need of screening or treatment advice.
  2. Duke Health COVID-19 Hotline: 919-385-0429, option 2 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm, 7 days a week)
  3. NC COVID-19 Hotline: 866-462-3821 (open 24 hours, 7 days a week). For non-emergency COVID-19 questions: Call 211 or text COVIDNC to 898211

Are there COVID19 hotline #s for additional questions?

Yes!

  1. NC COVID-19 Hotline: 866-462-3821 (open 24 hours, 7 days a week). For non-emergency COVID-19 questions: Call 211 or text COVIDNC to 898211
  2. UNC COVID-19 Hotline: 888-850-2684, available to patients in need of screening or treatment advice.
  3. Duke Health COVID-19 Hotline: 919-385-0429, option 2 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm, 7 days a week)



When and where can I get vaccinated?

As of 2/21/2021, North Carolina is currently in Phase 2 (adults 65 year olds +) and is about to enter Phase 3 (frontline essential workers). YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov is North Carolina's hub for uptodate information on vaccine availability. We recommend you check this site regularly for updates. The following PDF offers some great information about the vaccine development and North Carolina's strategy for distributing the vaccine. If you're note sure what phase you will be in, you can contact us if you're an established patient or use the following tool YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov links to Find Vaccine Locations where you can search for vaccine distribution sites by your zipcode. We don’t yet know whether we will be able to offer COVID19 vaccines at Unorthodoc. For now, we must rely on our local health departments and hospital systems. We are checking with the Orange County health department frequently and will update our established patients if we receive vaccines.



How do I find COVID19 studies to volunteer for?

Check out UNC's site for COVID 19 studies that you may qualify for. https://globalhealth.unc.edu/Covid-19-studies If you are currently an active member of Unorthodoc and you officially enroll in any COVID 19 -related study anywhere, you'll get a special "Thank You" gift from Unorthodoc for your efforts. Show us your official signed study enrollment documents and get one month of membership added to your plan for free ! Unorthodoc is a sucker for a good citizen!