Attending During COVID-19 Pandemic
An important message from our family to yours:
If you would like to speak to one of the team, feel free to contact us on 0818 333 310 / advice@waterstoneclinic.ie
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO READ – UPDATED 1 FEB 2022
This is a very challenging time globally to be seeking and providing fertility care. COVID19 remains a threat to our patients and our staff. We have always encouraged patients to seek vaccination before pursuing treatment, and with the increasingly high infectivity rates in the community, we are now strongly recommending that unvaccinated patients delay beginning treatment until the completion of their vaccination schedule.
In tandem with this, we are reintroducing measures in our clinics to keep our patients and staff safe. The following are the measures at the clinic from 6 January onwards:
- Please wear an N95 mask when attending the clinic
- You must attend your appointment alone. This includes consultation visits, scan visits, procedures (except Egg Collection).
- Partners must not enter the clinic unless they have been instructed to do so.
- Partners can join consultation appointments by phone or Zoom.
- Male partners will be asked to produce semen samples at home where possible.
- Partners can attend pregnancy scan appointments.
- Please social distance from other patients in the building. If there isn’t enough room for you to wait in a socially distant way, we may ask you to wait in your car.
- The use of cameras or video recording on phones is strictly prohibited in the clinic (particularly clinical areas, such as the scan and procedure rooms).
We understand that it is upsetting for patients when partners are excluded from the clinic. We will review these policies periodically. We have a duty of care to you as our patient and to our staff, and we must have policies to minimise the risk of COVID19 transmission so that the Clinic can continue to provide care. This disease remains dangerous, and there is a huge increase of infectivity in the community at the moment. The team who work in the clinic are highly skilled and would be difficult to replace should they be incapacitated through Covid infection; if they catch COVID19, we might not be able to provide our service.
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 a 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, or are a close contact of a suspected or positive case, avoid contact with people by self-isolating.
Phone your GP or visit the HSE website to arrange a PCR test. Your GP 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