COVID-19: Information for the APOA Family
The APOA recognizes that the scourge of COVID-19 is alarming, unprecedented and challenging. Across the Asia Pacific region it presents as a rapidly evolving set of circumstances, thereby placing a massive strain on the healthcare systems and providers. It puts forth difficult choices on all of us: whether musculo-skeletal care can and should be delayed or reprioritized.
Given the decentralized & unstandardized nature of our healthcare systems in the various countries, conditions vary significantly across the Asia Pacific region. Critical decisions concerning the deployment of resources and the management of elective musculo-skeletal procedures should be made based on institutional policies and recommendations from the concerning federal authorities, considering the availability of finite and essential resources.
On a precautionary note, with COVID-19 circulating in our communities, we recommend that you temporarily stop elective inpatient and outpatient surgeries for non-life threatening and non-urgent care at our hospital campuses, with immediate effect.
If however, you are not currently experiencing COVID-19 exposure issues in your institutional setting, now is the time to prepare for it. Start by familiarizing yourself with these infection control practices in the event you encounter someone with symptoms:
- Don N95 respirator masks
- Don full personal protective equipment (PPE), including protective eyewear
- Doff PPE responsibly as you would for exposure to any infectious disease
- After doffing equipment, decontaminate hands with an ETOH-based gel
In this moment of uncertainty, as the world weathers a global pandemic – the APOA is committed to our role in both mitigating the spread of this disease and continuing to support our community of doctors across our vast region.
As we navigate the next few weeks together, we appreciate your support and send wishes of health & safety to you and your loved ones.
Take care. We shall emerge stronger.