Coronavirus Concerns are Legitimate but No Cause for Panic or Undue Stress, says Dr. J Plastic Surgery

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., March 2, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A February 28 article on CNN Health reports that a Northern California woman hospitalized with the new coronavirus strain, also called COVID-19, is in serious condition. Reports say she is distinguished from the other 61 known cases in the United States because she has not been in China recently, nor has she knowingly been in contact with anyone who has. "While there is cause for concern regarding the possibility of a pandemic, people don't need to be in a state of fear," said Beverly Hills-based plastic surgeon Payam Jarrah-Nejad, M.D., F.I.C.S., F.A.C.S., known as Dr. J to his patients. "The COVID-19 strain is less lethal than past highly publicized flu strains, such as SARS, and is no cause for panic," says Dr. J. "The reason governments are acting on this worldwide has more to do with how fast it's spreading than how dangerous it is to individuals."

"Everyone should be aware that the primary worry regarding COVID-19 is the sheer number of cases that may occur at the same time and the possible impact on the health system and the economy," says Dr. J. "It's very serious but most people are unlikely to be seriously sickened. As with any flu or respiratory infection, elderly and infirm individuals do need to be especially careful due to the risk of pneumonia and other complications. For those concerned, avoiding large crowds may also be a good idea for the time being," says Dr. J. "The serious cases we are seeing are primarily older people. That was not the case with the extremely deadly 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic that's often mentioned in the media. The funny part is that few or no children seem to have been infected up to now."

"People should know that the medical community is working very hard to prevent the transmission of this and other communicable diseases. Responsible members of the professions always engage in extremely rigorous protocols with regards to cleanliness and sanitary practices," Dr. J noted. "As both a certified plastic surgeon and also a certified general surgeon, I can tell you that, regardless of what's happening in the world, when it comes to potentially dangerous microbes, we employ complex multiple layers of precautions that would probably surprise most people. During a time like this, of course, we understand that patients may be more concerned than usual and we do whatever we can to reassure them that safe conditions are always a top priority," Dr. J said.

"As far as what people can do to stay healthy generally, the steps are well-known. Frequent and thorough handwashing – something we surgeons know all about -- is one of the primary ways to prevent contagions from spreading," said Dr. J. "We probably don't need to tell people that avoiding people who are sick is desirable. Also, COVID-19 seems to last fairly long on surfaces, so keeping tables and chairs clean with cleaning solutions may be more important than usual," said the surgeon. "Please stay calm but do stay abreast of media reports from reliable outlets like major news organizations and local television and radio stations. If there is a pandemic, knowing what's happening will be important," says Dr. J.

Interested readers can call (310) 228-3151. Dr. J's qualifications as a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon double board certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery can be seen online.

SOURCE Dr. J Plastic Surgery