On February 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease: coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated COVID-19. ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease. The virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, is a coronavirus. The word corona means crown and refers to the appearance that coronaviruses get from the spike proteins sticking out of them.

Boyd Nursing and Rehab is pleased to recognize Mr. Lymon Wilburn as our patient success story for this month!

Mr. Wilburn came to Boyd Nursing in a few months ago following a medically complicated hospitalization with multiple cardiac issues. Lymon presented to us with significant weakness, limited mobility, and difficulty performing basic activities of daily living. After the past 2 months of nursing care, skilled therapy services, dietary management, and a strong will to get better, Lymon has made a remarkable recovery!

He has made significant improvements with ambulation using an assisted device and his ability to perform his self-care with supervision assistance. Lymon is looking forward to further progress with therapy services in order to soon return to community living, thanks to the care he has received at Boyd Nursing and Rehab. Congratulations Lymon, we are very happy to have had to opportunity to assist you on this road to recovery. We wish you the very best!

COVID-19 spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that contain the virus. These droplets and particles can be breathed in by other people or land on their eyes, noses, or mouth. In some circumstances, they may contaminate surfaces they touch. People who are closer than 6 feet from the infected person are most likely to get infected. 

COVID-19 is spread in three main ways: 

• Breathing in air when close to an infected person who is exhaling small droplets and particles that contain the virus. 
• Having these small droplets and particles that contain virus land on the eyes, nose, or mouth, especially through splashes and sprays like a cough or sneeze. 
• Touching eyes, nose, or mouth with hands that have the virus on them. 

The Coronavirus Self-Checker is an interactive clinical assessment tool that will assist individuals ages 13 and older, and parents and caregivers of children ages 2 to 12 on deciding when to seek testing or medical care if they suspect they or someone they know has contracted COVID-19 or has come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19. 

The online, mobile-friendly tool asks a series of questions, and based on the user’s responses, provides recommended actions and resources. 

To access the Self-Checker, click here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/coronavirus-self-checker.html

For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated: 

• You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace and local businesses. 
• If you travel, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others. 
• Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Travelers are not required to wear a mask in outdoor areas of a conveyance (like on a ferry or the top deck of a bus). CDC recommends that travelers who are not fully vaccinated continue to wear a mask and maintain physical distance when traveling. 

• Fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in the United States are still required to get tested 3 days before travel by air into the United States (or show documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months) and should still get tested 3-5 days after their trip. 
• You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others. 
• People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken the immune system, should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider. 

Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possible—although rare—that you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 again. Studies have shown that vaccination provides a strong boost in protection in people who have recovered from COVID-19. Learn more about why getting vaccinated is a safer way to build protection than getting infected. 

Studies show that COVID-19 vaccines are effective at keeping you from getting COVID-19. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine will also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19. Learn more about the benefits of getting vaccinated.

COVID-19 vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. It typically takes 2 weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus that causes COVID-19. That means it is possible a person could still get COVID-19 before or just after vaccination and then get sick because the vaccine did not have enough time to build protection. People are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, or 2 weeks after the single-dose Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. 

COVID-19 spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that contain the virus. These droplets and particles can be breathed in by other people or land on their eyes, noses, or mouth. In some circumstances, they may contaminate surfaces they touch. People who are closer than 6 feet from the infected person are most likely to get infected. 

COVID-19 is spread in three main ways: 

• Breathing in air when close to an infected person who is exhaling small droplets and particles that contain the virus. 
• Having these small droplets and particles that contain virus land on the eyes, nose, or mouth, especially through splashes and sprays like a cough or sneeze. 
• Touching eyes, nose, or mouth with hands that have the virus on them. 

• If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing many things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic. 
• When choosing safer activities, consider how COVID-19 is spreading in your community, the number of people participating in the activity, and the location of the activity. 

• Outdoor visits and activities are safer than indoor activities, and fully vaccinated people can participate in some indoor events safely, without much risk. 
• If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, find a vaccine. 

Boyd Nursing and Rehabilitation is pleased to share our newest success story of Ms. Alesa Mastin! 

Ms. Mastin came to Boyd Nursing for rehab the last of December following a recent knee replacement and complicated hospital stay that left her immobile and unable to care for herself at home. Medical challenges continued to test her will throughout her recovery, but she proved herself a fighter in overcoming COVID-19 in addition to her other medical complications. Initially, Alesa required the assistance of two therapists just to get her to the edge of the bed. She required total care for all mobility and self-care. Nonetheless, Alesa was motivated and willing to put in the hard work and effort to return home. Over the past three and a half months, Alesa has cooperatively and diligently completed an individualized rehab program of strength and balance training, gait training, and self-care training with emphasis on safety and compensatory strategies to regain her functional independence. 

Today, Alesa is walking 150ft with a rollator walker and is performing self-care activities with supervision assistance! This improvement enables Alesa to now return home with the support of her family. Alesa, everyone at Boyd Rehabilitation Center is happy to have been part of your successful recovery and glad to see you reunited with your family and cat, Bella. We wish you the best!