COVID-19 Guidance for Our Spinal Cord Injury Community

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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our lives, communities and so much more, the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program is doing what we can to share resources and drive relief efforts with the SCI community.

Generally, COVID-19 is a respiratory (breathing) illness caused by a coronavirus. The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to the flu: they include fever, cough (dry or wet), and shortness of breath which may appear 2-14 days after exposure.

It is important to practice proper health and hygiene, social distancing and to stay home as much as possible to reduce risk!  The following information and resources are specific to COVID-19 response and Spinal Cord Injury/Disability.  This is a growing list and will be updated periodically as new information comes in.

Prevention of the Coronavirus

  •  Wear a mask
  • Practice physical distancing (staying 6 feet away from others), avoid large groups, and stay home when possible. If you do stay home, it is important to know you are not alone and can access services or connect with your local SCI organization via phone, online or by other means
  • Call your doctor before you visit to let them know if you are unwell and have other health concerns
  • Wash your hands regularly with warm soap and water for 20-30 seconds
  • Clean all surfaces regularly that you touch every day including your phone, joystick and wheelchair armrests, tray, push rims…
  • Keep 30 days of medical supplies (catheters and dressing supplies) and medication on hand
  • Prepare your Emergency Kit

Attendant Services Issues

  • Consider asking your attendants if they do not live with you to wear a mask while in your home especially when they are providing physical assistance and are within six feet of you
  • Send attendants home who are not well
  • Ask attendants to wash their hands when they arrive and before they provide any assistance.
  • Be sure your attendants and you wash your hands after all assistance
  • Have a back-up plan if your attendant does not come to work or is sick. Plan ahead by taking THESE steps
  • Read CareAcademy’s COVID-19 Guide for direct caregivers

If You Are Sick, or Think You Might Have COVID-19

  • Isolate yourself at home if you develop respiratory symptoms
  • If you are experiencing any shortness of breath (especially persons with high level injuries) you should go to the hospital
  • Call your local public health authority for advice before going to the hospital. Please see Mount Sinai updates for patients: COVID-19 Facts and Resources
  • Read this information from the CDC on COVID-19 and its Symptoms
  • If you have a spinal cord injury and use a ventilator, c-pap, or cough assist device, speak to your health care provider or respiratory therapist regarding what precautions you, your family and attendants should take in your home
  • Clean your equipment and replace filters regularly as per your device manual
  • Ensure you have an adequate supply of filters and tubing

Vaccines

  • On August 23, 2021  the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older.
  • As of Tuesday, April 6, all residents of New York State ages 16 and over are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.
  • Eligible New York State residents should check the New York State and New York City vaccine websites for information about where to get vaccinated.
  • Pharmacies: Numerous pharmacies throughout NYC offer COVID-19 vaccine appointments. Available appointments at many NYC pharmacies are shown at vaccinefinder.nyc.gov. Patients can also inquire at their local pharmacy to see if vaccination is being offered.

Updated Booster Now Available

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on November 29, 2021, strengthened its recommendation on booster shots to include everyone 12 or older when they are eligible. Vaccine booster shots are now available for all fully vaccinated people 12 and older. These shots boost your immunity from an initial vaccination series. For more information visit: Booster Shot Recommendation for  COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients

Vaccine Safety

  • There are a lot of myths on the internet about COVID-19 vaccines. Mount Sinai is working with a company called NewsGuard to provide the most accurate information. If you’ve heard something that sounds questionable and want to know if it’s true or not, you can look it up in NewsGuard’s report on the top COVID-19 vaccine myths.

Stay Informed

  • Check the advice from your local governmental health authority every 24-48 hours. You can also text COVID to 692692 to receive that latest NYC updates.

Take home messages about COVID-19 in people with SCI

  • People with SCI are not at a higher risk of getting infected with the COVID-19 virus.
  • The early symptoms people with SCI experience can often be confused with UTI.
  • Cough and fever may not be as severe as compared to people who have COVID but do not have SCI.
  • The severity of symptoms and disease course of COVID-19 in people with SCI, so far, is not as bad as initially expected.
  • Age and underlying secondary conditions may still be risk factors, more information is needed.
  • It is still very important to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by washing hands, wearing a mask, and social distancing.
    *These take home messages are based on the published, peer-reviewed evidence as of November 24, 2020.

Long COVID

  • Long COVID is a serious illness that can result in chronic conditions requiring comprehensive care and may cause disability. It can include a wide range of ongoing symptoms and conditions that can last weeks, months, or even years after COVID-19 illness.
  • Anyone who had a SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19, can experience Long COVID, including children. COVID-19 vaccination is the best available tool to prevent Long COVID.
  • Living with Long COVID can be difficult and isolating, especially when there are no immediate answers or solutions.
  • Visit the NYS DOH and the CDC websites for more information  for long COVID.
  • Visit the Long COVID alliance website for other helpful resources.
  • For further Long COVID guidance, treatments and research visit our Cohen Center for Recovery from Complex Chronic Illness center.

Our Resources

Fact Sheets

Videos

Webinar

  • Providing Resources for People with SCI During the Pandemic: Mount Sinai SCI was pleased to host “Providing Resources for People with SCI During the Pandemic” webinar to address unique issues that need to be considered for individuals with a spinal cord injuries such as extra hygiene precautions and emergency preparedness during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

 

 

 

Podcast

  • SCI Everything: This podcast addresses topics related to spinal cord injury rehabilitation care, from hospital to living in the community. video cast can also be heard on YouTube: SCI Everything

Additional Resources

Note and Disclaimer

This guidance was created by experts in the SCI Community on December 9, 2022. This document is based on the best available evidence at the time of release. We can’t guarantee that the guidance is up to date or current as the pandemic is changing daily.