JUNE IS PRIDE MONTH
EVERYONE IS NOW ELIGIBLE TO GET
THE COVID-19 VACCINE
"Just Do It"
ANOTHER REASON TO GET VACCINATED:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have eased indoor mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, allowing them to safely stop wearing masks inside in most places.
The new guidance will still call for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters, even removing the need for masks or social distancing for those who are fully vaccinated.
The CDC will also no longer recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks outdoors in crowds.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have eased indoor mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, allowing them to safely stop wearing masks inside in most places.
The new guidance will still call for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters, even removing the need for masks or social distancing for those who are fully vaccinated.
The CDC will also no longer recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks outdoors in crowds.
NEW QUARANTINE GUIDELINES: Those without symptoms may end quarantine after seven days if they are tested for the virus and receive a negative result, or after 10 days without a negative test. P.C.R. or rapid tests are both acceptable, and should be taken within 48 hours of the end of the quarantine period. People should continue to watch for symptoms for 14 days.
IMPORTANT
ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT OFFICE VISITS
The number of patients seen will be at a reduced amount. NO "squeeze in" or "walk in" patients. We are confident that patients can be seen safely and efficiently. STRICT protective measures are in place for BOTH patients and staff. NO patient with a fever, influenza-like illness or suspected COVID-19 symptoms will be physically seen at our office. When indicated a telemedicine video consultation can be arranged.
Think you may have, or have been exposed to, the Corona Virus?
Symptoms associated with COVID-19
IF YOU ARE SICK:
Symptoms associated with COVID-19
- Fever (>100.4) or feverish
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Nasal congestion and runny nose
- Shortness of breath
- Unusual fatigue
- Chills
- Body aches
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Chest pain
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of smell or taste
- As OUR office does NOT have test kits, there is NO point in coming to the office to be evaluated. Have us call you back about your concerns.
- Testing sites
- https://www.mass.gov/doc/ma-covid-19-testing-sites/download
IF YOU ARE SICK:
- Stay at home and do not go to work if you are sick.
- Avoid socializing. Maintain social distancing. Take this seriously.
- Wash your hands with soap and warm water often.
- Use an alcohol based hand sanitizer like Purell often.
- Keep your hands away from your face (mouth, nose and eyes).
- Cough into your elbow.
- Wear a mask if you are coughing and around others.
- Avoid shaking hands. Use a fist or elbow bump.
- Try to maintain a 6 foot distance from others if you are sick.
- Wipe down surfaces using Clorox/Lysol (or equivalent) wipes.
- AVOID USING IBUPROFEN for fever or body aches. Tylenol is safe and effective.
-
- SYMPTOMS THAT REQUIRE OUR ATTENTION:
- shortness of breath; wheezing, difficulty breathing
- persistent pain, tightness or pressure in your chest
- Persistent significant fevers of over 100 and heart rate over 100
- persistent cough especially if productive of thick yellow or green phlegm.
- new confusion or inability to arouse
- bluish lips or face.
- Inability to hydrate or eat appropriately, decreased urine output
- Inability to care for oneself at home
Belmont Medical Associates
725 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
617-864-8822
A little about ourselves.......
Established in 1977, we are now a fourteen physician primary care group practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The physicians are all board certified and include:
- Stephen P. Ranere, MD (5th floor)
- A. Donald Shushan, MD (5th floor)
- Edward M. Kowaloff, MD (5th floor)
- Catherine M. Mintzer, MD (6th floor)
- Trevor H. Kaye, MD (6th floor)
- Deneen E. Pelletier, MD (6th floor)
- Olga V. Minkoff, MD (6th floor)
- Gabriel Szentpaly, MD (6th floor)
- Nancy Tran, MD (6th floor)
- Michael Nelson, MD (5th floor)
- Hiromichi Miyashita, MD (5th floor)
- Dinah Gorelik, MD (6th floor)
- Naris Ghazarians, MD (5th floor)
- Martha N. Martents, MD (6th floor)
In addition we have three nurse practitioners:
- Anna Ost, NP (6th floor)
- Krystal Babalas, NP (3rd floor in Endocrinology dept))
- Elizabeth B. Shortsleeve, NP (6th floor)
We also function as a multi-specialty group practice with many of the specialist services offered either in our office or in our building. For a complete list of these services check the links on the left or click on here directly.
- Our goal is to provide you with key, ongoing preventive medicine services as well as with treatment when you do get sick. As internists, we're the first line of care, assessing overall health, providing initial treatment and working with specialists to diagnose and treat complex problems. If you do need to consult with us for a "sick" visit, appointments are typically available on a same-day basis. "Non-emergency sick visits" can be made within 48 hours. "Well-care" visits can be scheduled within several weeks. We emphasize routine visits to monitor your medical concerns, whether through regular physical examinations or scheduled follow-up visits for issues such as hypertension and diabetes.
- On August 1, 2017 we switched our EHR to the EPIC system which has an electronic health portal which allows patients to view their lab results and now most of their medical record.
- BMA is affiliated with Mount Auburn Hospital, a Harvard Medical teaching hospital, for inpatient admissions and other hospital-based services, and with the Mount Auburn network of physicians - MACIPA - for specialty consultations and referrals. We use dedicated full time "hospitalists" to oversee the care of our inpatients and they keep us updated during the course of a hospitalization. We in turn communicate with them about your medical history and unique issues that we are aware of.
- The office is staffed 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday - Friday.
- A physician is on-call for EMERGENCY ADVICE after regular office hours daily. Please don't expect the on call physician to fill routine prescriptions or to obtain lab results.
