Coronavirus Updates in New York City

Dear Vanguard Patient

At Vanguard GI, protecting your good health is our highest priority. Information about the Coronavirus pandemic is rapidly evolving. We have been closely monitoring current recommendations from federal, state and local authorities as well as updates from medical societies.

With this in mind, we advise the following:

• Elective and screening endoscopies will be temporarily postponed. Urgent or time-sensitive procedures, especially those involving GI bleeding, difficulty swallowing or a cancer diagnosis, can proceed as scheduled. The decision whether to perform or delay a procedure may be done on a case-by-case basis, so contact your doctor to verify your current status.
• If your visit is urgent, our office remains open to take care of you. We are still available at our midtown location – 232 East 30th street. All available precautions are being undertaken at this site to make sure that the risk of Coronavirus transmission is minimized.
• If your upcoming visit to our office is elective, take advantage of our new Tele-Medicine feature. This will allow a video consultation with your doctor, providing required medical care, without having to be present in our office. Please call us at 212 889-5544, or contact us via our website www.gastro-nyc.com for further information about this innovative visit option.

The effect of the Coronavirus epidemic on our daily lives is unprecedented. However, following a few simple common-sense steps may reduce your transmission risk and keep you healthy:

• Wash your hands frequently
• Avoid touching your face
• Protect others when coughing or sneezing
• Avoid unnecessary travel
• Practice “social distancing”
• keep at least 6 feet apart
• Avoid crowds

As bad as Coronavirus is and will become, it is important to keep some perspective – this crisis will eventually pass.

Wishing you and your family good health and safety, The doctors at Vanguard GI