COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update

Last updated: 05-06-20

We are aware of the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and taking appropriate steps to protect our patients, their families, our staff and community. Please review our updated policies below.

We are requesting all to call our office to make an appointment. We are not accepting Walk-in currently. Please call our office before the appointment for us to screen for COVID-19 exposure and illness. If you have come in contact with someone with a history of International & Domestic travel within the last 14 days or had  contact with someone diagnose to have COVID-19, this will allow us to advice you the best course of action for your child.

Official health resources

Recommendations are evolving. Please review the latest recommendations by looking at the CDC website and/or the local public health departments depending on your country of residence (Alameda County or Contra Costa County).

Keeping your family healthy

The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Here are a few other things you can do to keep your family healthy and help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer. Look for one that is 60% or higher alcohol based.
• Keep your kids away from others who are sick or keep them home if they are ill.
• Teach kids to cough and sneeze into a tissue (make sure to throw it away after each use!) or to cough and sneeze into their sleeved arm or elbow, not their hands.
• Clean and disinfect household objects and surfaces in your home.
• Avoid touching your face; teach your children to do the same.
• Avoid travel.

If You are Sick

New policies, effective May 4, 2020

Dr. Suresh Sachdeva and Staff value the Health & Safety of all patients, staff and doctors during this unprecedented time with the Coronavirus Pandemic. Measures are in place to try and limit exposure for all individuals. We have implemented measures to reduce the threat of infection to protect our patients and their families. These measures are intended to limit contact between patients, facilitate social distancing, and keep our office as safe and sanitary for everyone. We anticipate that these measures will continue to evolve as CDC & Department of Health update guidelines.

Currently, we ask that you adhere to the following policies and procedures:

1. If you need to make an appointment, please call our office. Walk-ins are not accepted at any time. If you walk in without an appointment, you will be asked to return to your car and call our office to allow us to do proper screening and provide you the appropriate appointment to protect you and others.
2. Caregivers and patients 12 and older need to wear a mask or covering. Masks are recommended but not required for patients 2-11 years of age.
3. Consistent with current AAP recommendations, we likewise value the importance of routine well checks for our patients. We are offering well-checks to all patients of all ages who are due for their routine physicals, not just those patients who need vaccinations. Routine well-checks are important visits that address growth and development, anticipatory guidance, chronic medical problems, and health questions families may have. We do understand that families may decide to delay their child’s well-check during these unprecedented times. However, we do have measures in place to reduce risk of exposure in our office and we would be happy to see you if your child is due for a routine physical.
4. We are also offering video visits to discuss non-urgent problems and to address ongoing medical concerns or chronic issues. Please call our office to see if it is appropriate to have a video visit for your child.
5. It is still important for certain patients to continue to be seen for their routine well-check appointments in order to receive vaccines. In order to protect all patients and their families:
   • All well-check appointments are being scheduled for the morning and early afternoon only.
   • Well-checks will also be restricted to specific rooms in the office in order to minimize transmission of infections. No sick visits are being scheduled in the morning unless there is an emergency.
   • Vaccines will also be given in the patient’s rooms to minimize contact even between well patients.
   • All physicians and staff with patient contact will be wearing masks.
   • We do ask that you limit the number of people accompanying your child to their appointment, especially other children. We ask that only one parent or caregiver accompany your child for their appointment for the safety of everyone. No siblings should accompany the patient. Unfortunately, grandparents, a high-risk population for severe disease, will not be allowed into exam rooms for their own safety.
   • No sick family members should come into the office.
   • If you are scheduled for a routine well-check but your child develops a cold, runny nose, congestion, cough, sore throat, and/or fever, please call us right away before coming to your appointment.
   • If the parent/guardian accompanying the patient develops a cold, runny nose, congestion, cough, sore throat, and/or fever, please call us right away before coming to your appointment.
6. We are currently offering sick same-day video visits far patients who wish to be evaluated but may not necessarily need to be seen in-person in the office. Please call us if you would like to schedule a same-day video visit.
7. Urgent sick visit appointments will only be offered in the afternoon. If your child has a cough, runny nose, congestion, sore throat and/or a fever 100.4 or higher and you wish your child evaluated, please call us in advance. For this appointment, you will be asked to wait in your car and call our office upon arrival in our parking lot. Once we are ready Dr. may see you in the Car. Patients and other family members accompanying them for the appointment should wear a mask if available. Sick patients without a mask will be given tissue to cover their mouth and nose. We do ask that you limit the number of people accompanying your child to their appointment. No sick family members should accompany your child to this appointment. This process will ensure that anyone who may pose a risk of infection remains at a safe distance from other patients in our waiting rooms. Staff and physicians who have contact with sick patients will be wearing personal protective equipment.
8. Patients without symptoms can be checked in as per the usual procedure. Patients will be roomed as quickly as possible to minimize contact with other patients, even other patients without symptoms. If no room is immediately available, patients can wait in their cars until a room is ready. Leave us a phone number where we can reach you. Please make sure that you are ready to come in as soon as you are called.

• For any appointment, no matter your reason for the appointment, we request that you bring as few family members to the appointment as possible. This especially applies to other family members of any age who may be sick or ill, grandparents who are more vulnerable to the Coronavirus, and other family members with underlying chronic medical problems.
• Due to shortage of Personal Protective Equipment, we cannot offer masks to patients. All persons (patient and caregivers) 12 and older are always required to wear a mask or face covering. Patients 2-12 years of age are recommended to wear a mask or face covering.
• COVID-19 testing is available but due to limited resources, we are currently testing patients who are High Risk as defined by CDC & Public Health Department.