Well you can't fail to have heard about the Coronavirus Covid-19 which is causing concern worldwide at the moment. Although it has not reached crisis point yet, in order to help control its spread, dental practices have received guidance on how to manage the situation which I'll outline below.
Firstly I would seek to reassure you that we always take your health seriously, and a lot of time and effort is spent ensuring that cross infection control is top notch. All instruments are either single-use or sterlised between uses, and we always wear gloves, masks and eye protection for your and our protection. Nevertheless, it's worth being extra-cautious at the moment so this is the current advice.
If you have been to any of the of the Category 1 areas recently, currently
- Wuhan city and Hubei Province (China)
- Iran
- Daegu or Cheongdo (Republic of Korea)
- Any Italian town under containment measures
then you should call NHS 111 and self-isolate. PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE PRACTICE
If you have been to any of the Category 2 areas and develop symptoms then you should also call NHS 111. These areas are currently
- Cambodia
- China*
- Hong Kong
- Italy: north* (see map)
- Japan
- Laos
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- Republic of Korea*
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vietnam
Overall the NHS is well prepared for outbreaks of infection diseases and has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and healthcare staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.
Check online at gov.uk and at nhs.uk for advice on your travel land contact history and the latest Covid-19 information before attending the dental practice.