CoronaVirus
An important message from our family to yours:
Please bear with us while we work our way through contacting each of our patients. We will give priority to patients who were cancelled/delayed and will schedule at the nearest available time. If you would like to speak to one of the team, feel free to contact us on 0818 333 310 / advice@waterstoneclinic.ie
As we begin our phased return to providing treatment, we are following guidelines from the HSE and ESHRE and our Clinic is COVID-19 FREE. Life at the Clinic will not be back to normal just yet, and it will look a little different when you attend. The first change is that we are introducing two new forms for all patients and partners: a Patient Charter and a COVID19 Risk Assessment form.
The Patient Charter outlines your responsibilities while you are access treatment with us, and we will ask you to read, sign it and return it to us prior to attending the clinic for your next visit. The Charter describes the new procedures we will have in place, and our commitments to you to keep you safe in the Clinic so that your treatment can go ahead as planned.
The COVID-19 Risk Assessment form will help our clinical team assess the level of risk you are exposed to in your daily life. We will ask you each to make yourself available to complete this process by phone before treatment and again during treatment. Treatment will not proceed without completing these steps.
The team may suggest things to reduce your risk, to keep both you and all at the Clinic, safe from COVID-19. Risk assessment is a process, and you may be risk assessed at additional points. We would ask you to be vigilant and report any changes to your risk: we are in this together and must do all we can to protect one another as a community.
Please do bear with us as we implement these new policies and an additional consent process for treatment during the pandemic. We know patients are anxious to return to treatment, as are we, and we are doing everything we can do resume our work safely.
Our Treatment Roadmap:
Phase 1 w/c 18 May: Fertility testing and scans
Phase 2 w/c 25 May: IVF/ICSI Cycles and Egg Freeze cycles (priority for those who were cancelled)
Phase 3 w/c 8 June: FET Cycles (priority for those who were cancelled/had freeze-all cycles)
Phase 4 w/c 15 June: OII & IUI Cycles (priority to those who were cancelled)
Donor Sperm Cycles: The donor team are recommencing treatment, under the phased return. The donor team are continuing preparatory work and ensuring compliance with the new Irish legislation concerning donor treatments.
Donor Egg Cycles: We are working hard on your behalf to resume the service and are continuing preparatory work with patients for treatment. We are dependent on the full removal of travel restrictions, and on the resumption of donor bank activity. We will update you on as soon as there is new information. Once we can return, priority will be given to those who were cancelled/delayed. The donor team are ensuring compliance with the new Irish legislation concerning donor treatments.
Please do contact us with any queries or concerns on 0818 333 310 or email advice@waterstoneclinic.ie
HOW CAN I REDUCE MY RISK OF CONTRACTING THE VIRUS?
Coronavirus spreads through droplets. It can be transmitted from person to person if you come into contact with an infected person who is coughing or sneezing near you, or if you touch surfaces that someone with the virus has coughed or sneezed upon (the virus can live on surfaces for days).
There are a number of practical tips for keeping safe from Coronavirus:
- follow the recommendations from the Chief Medical Officer and government about social distancing
- wash your hands properly (for 20 seconds and foaming a lather) and regularly
- avoid touching your face
- if available, use hand sanitiser
- use disinfectant wipes to regularly clean items you come into contact with often, such as your phone, desk phone, and door handles
- regularly clean off surfaces with alcohol-based disinfectants
- avoid shaking hands with others
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I DEVELOP ANY SYMPTOMS?
If you develop symptoms of coronavirus, avoid contact with people by self-isolating.
Phone your GP or emergency department (do not enter the GP or ED clinic). You will be put in contact with your local Department of Public Health staff who will give you information and advice.
More information is available on the HSE website https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus.html
If you have any concerns or would like any further information or advice, please contact us on 0818 333 310 or advice@waterstoneclinic.ie