Trying to Avoid Emergency Room Visits

INDIANAPOLIS — With more cases of respiratory illnesses being reported around the state, the Marion County Public Health Department is urging you to stay away from emergency rooms unless you absolutely must go. With illnesses like COVID, RSV, and the flu affecting Hoosiers around the state, some emergency rooms are at capacity. This means that doctors may not be able to meet quickly with patients who need their services. So, in order to keep yourself – and others – safe, the Health Department is urging you to stay home if you have mild symptoms. Continue reading for other suggestions from healthcare professionals.

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Melissa McMasters – Administrator of the Health Department’s Immunization and Infectious Disease Program – says there is one step you can take that is arguably more important than the others: getting vaccinated, as the peaks for some of this season’s common illnesses are still a few weeks away. If you do need medical advice, consider first making an appointment with your doctor, contacting a telehealth or online service, or visiting a clinic or urgent care facility. Of course, you are urged to seek treatment if you have a high fever or are struggling to breathe. Check out your local hospital’s website to learn more about current visitor restrictions.

1. Get Vaccinated

McMasters notes that there are vaccines available for all three of this year’s prevalent viruses. Learn more about where to get vaccinated here.

2. Wash Your Hands

Obviously, you should wash your hands when you get home from work, and before and after you eat. But, it might be beneficial to wash a few extra times during the day, both when you are at work and at home.

3. Cough/Sneeze Into Your Elbow

Coughing or sneezing into your elbow can prevent germs from getting onto your hands, thereby helping address the spread of germs on public surfaces.

4. Disinfect High-Traffic Surfaces

These are surfaces that many people in your home touch, such as door handles, light switches, and faucets.

5. Stay Home

Staying home can help hospitals prioritize patients who are dangerously sick, and it can protect you from being exposed to other illnesses.