Clearly the official advice covers most of the things we all need to know. On top of this, we spoke with Doctor Charles Levinson of Harley Street to find out what other precautions we should all be taking at this time.

Be Prepared

We are recommending that where possible each household should purchase a thermometer, pulse oximeter and (ideally but least important) an electronic blood pressure machine. These will greatly assist us in managing any case of coronavirus at home via video link. These are available from Amazon; please ensure you order one with a relatively quick delivery time. We can assure you we will be available to provide medical support at home if you become ill.

Rest

There is clear evidence it is essential to have absolute rest for fourteen days after developing symptoms of Covid-19 to reduce the risk of myocarditis.

Anti-Inflammatory Medication

There is evidence that anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen and aspirin reduce the immune response. However, the official advice is that those who have been prescribed aspirin or regular anti-inflammatory medication should not discontinue it without advice. Please book a video consultation to discuss it should you find yourself in this situation.

Statins

There is an idea that the cholesterol-lowering drugs may reduce your ability to fight the virus, as explained here and there is an argument that most people can manage without them for a limited time. On the other hand, the American College of Cardiology has produced guidelines recommending these are continued as there is increased risk of cardiac events during coronavirus infection. Clearly this is a complex decision which needs to be taken on a case-by-case basis. Again we can advise regarding this in a video consultation.

Treatment

There is some evidence for the use of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine in cases of coronavirus. The benefits are not entirely clear, there are some risks and this use is unlicensed. However, we are happy to discuss treatment options with you if the need arises and in some cases we may be able to recommend it. Dr Patrick Sheehan in our Harley Street clinic has a special interest in this and a video consultation can be booked via telephone.

What We Can Do To Help

Video

Our medical group has a new secure video platform which has been built into our website. If you would like to book a video consultation, please click here using the discount code AlmostEssential. If you do not want to book it online, please feel free to call us and if you require an urgent call or a call at a time other than that available online, or if you prefer a telephone consultation, please call us.

Testing

Covid-19 antibody testing is available in our clinics in Harley Street and Manchester and we can also arrange testing on-site or at home in certain cases. This can be booked online using the discount code Online5, or by calling us. Our tests are German-made and despite the criticism of the Government’s Chinese tests, we have no reason to doubt the veracity of these and full details can be found here. We are finding that those who have had significant symptoms of Covid-19 are very likely to be immune and it is clearly a great benefit to establish immunity. These tests are significantly more accurate than swab testing which has a sensitivity of only around 50 – 60% due to difficulties with sample collection.

Clinic Appointments Available

Our clinics in Harley Street and in Manchester remain open. Please book online here using the discount code online5 or call us.

Visiting Doctor Service (Discounted For Almost Essential Members)

Our visiting doctor service in London remains open and many patients are accessing our services via our mobile app. Our visiting doctor app is designed to provide peace of mind that you have medical cover if you need it. App users (members) can book a virtual, at home or office visit at short notice 24/7 throughout London.

Our members find us invaluable for:

> Routine healthcare requirements
> Prompt visits for urgent problems
> Telephone advice for simple matters or if you are not in our visiting area.

If the doctor recommends a home visit as a result, the cost of the telephone consultation is deducted from the visit fee, so you don’t pay twice. We give free membership to the children of members up to the age of 16 years.

Almost Essential members are able to recieve £75 off membership and use of the app when they apply using the discount code AlmostEssential. This reduces the annual fee from £240 to £165, which makes it really good value in these current times. If you would like to try this service, please contcat Charles’ practice here.