by Fred Harvey, MD 

My office staff recently weathered a COVID-19 exposure, and thankfully, all those impacted are healthy once again. On September 26, two staff members attended a family birthday party outdoors. We discovered shortly thereafter on September 30, that some of their extended family members had tested positive for COVID-19.  

Immediately, we applied CDC protocols. We stopped all face-to-face patient contact, and all staff members in my office were tested. We underwent both the antibody testing and the nasal viral testing. We performed contact tracing and notified everyone, both patients and vendors, that had been in the office those two days.  

Five days after that outdoor family gathering, my receptionist (and interestingly, the youngest staff member) developed symptoms on October 1. She awoke with a severe headache which persisted for four days. She had a terrible sore throat and mild nasal congestion. She never experienced a fever, cough, or loss of taste and smell.  

She had been on a preventive regimen of Drainage homeopathic drops, Zinc, Vitamin C and Beta Glucan prior to contracting COVID-19. This protocol was advised to her during a physician consultation, but please do consult with your own medical practitioner before starting any kind of treatment to find the course that is safest and most effective for you.    

My whole team immediately went into quarantine for 10–14 days and worked remotely. The staff rallied office communications, while physically distancing, as my office manager delivered the supplements and positive encouragement to our sick team member’s doorstep. When the rest of us tested negative on a repeat test after eight days, we ended the quarantine after 10 days and returned to the office.  

We all felt the added emotional pressure from quarantine, and I am grateful for such a dedicated team. Experiencing COVID-19 was scary for our staff member because the unknown progression of varied symptoms leaves a patient with uncertainty of what to expect. She was isolated alone without a caregiver which made the entire ordeal even more difficult too. I felt it was important to share our story. We are grateful for her resilience and full recovery—and for the rest of us being spared infection including our patients, customers and vendors. 

Wear Your Mask. Wash Your Hands. Watch Your Distance. 

Please reach out if we can support your family with wellness recommendations or ship premium supplements to you. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact The Harvey Center for Integrative Medicine at 941-929-9355. The Harvey Center is located at 3982 Bee Ridge Road, Suite J, Sarasota.