What COVID-19 means for cancer patients: Roundup

What people with cancer need to know about the coronavirus outbreak, and the conversations to have with oncologists and health providers.

National Cancer Institute: What People with Cancer Should Know

The National Cancer Institute, the federal government’s leading cancer division, has released a set of guidelines and frequently asked questions. They cover topics like whether cancer patients are at elevated risk, ways cancer patients can protect themselves, and what questions you should ask your medical providers and clinical trial research teams.

https://www.cancer.gov/contact/emergency-preparedness/coronavirus

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The scientists and officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are the top authority for the American public about matters related to infectious disease. The NCI and other cancer-focused have told their patients, who may have compromised immune systems due to chemotherapy or other factors, to be especially mindful of the CDC’s instructions.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Vox: Coronavirus and Cancer Treatment: How doctors and patients are managing the pandemic

Vox reporters found that the best research conducted so far shows that cancer patients may be at considerably higher risk than others of needing hospitalization, intensive-care treatment, and ventilator breathing support, should they get the coronavirus, compared to the general public. Nevertheless, oncologists across the country are doing everything in their power to safely continue their patients struggles. The report covers the brave and difficult choices patients and their doctors are making together to simultaneously battle cancer and coronavirus.

https://www.vox.com/2020/3/20/21186681/coronavirus-cancer-treatment

New York Times: Her Cancer Surgery Was Canceled at a Hospital Bracing for Coronavirus

We’ve all read the reports of hospitals cancelling all elective surgeries because they’re facing a surge of coronavirus patients. It’s important to note, elective may be more expansive than you think. If you expect that elective surgeries only mean cosmetic procedures or the like, this article makes it clear that elective not only encompasses surgeries that are not life-saving, it may even include surgery for just about any condition that is not immediately life-threatening.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/us/coronavirus-covid-surgeries-canceled.html

Coronavirus.gov

This site provides the latest guidelines and orders from the federal government. It is a collaborative effort by the White House, the CDC, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Your home state likely has a similar site where the orders and guidelines put out by your governor will be collected. It’s a good idea to search for these on Google (search “coronavirus [your state]” and look for a link that ends in .gov.

https://www.coronavirus.gov/

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