COVID-19 is a viral respiratory infection; symptoms include cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Most patients also experience at least two of these symptoms: fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell.

If you develop any of these emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face

As someone who has recovered from COVID-19, you may be in a unique position to help those still suffering. For our sickest patients in the hospital fighting to recover, convalescent plasma treatments have shown promising results. If you are interested in donating plasma, please click below for more information from the American Red Cross.

Donate plasma to the Red Cross

If you are very sick, get medical attention immediately. If you develop one of these symptoms, seek emergency care.

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in your chest
• New confusion or inability to wake up
• Bluish lips or face

Note there are many other reasons for seeking emergency care. Do not delay care if you are concerned for your safety. If you are unsure what level of care you need, call the Health Link Nurse Line at 540.741.1100 for an assessment and nurse advice.

Learn more about COVID-19 testing at MWHC.

Temperature checks and masks are required for anyone entering Mary Washington Healthcare facilities, regardless of vaccination status.

We apologize for any inconvenience. Our focus is always on the health and safety of our patients, Associates, and community. All entrances during this time, excluding the main entrances and emergency department entrances, will be closed.

Any person who has a temperature of 100^°F or greater will not be granted access to the facility and directed to seek COVID-19 screening. Patients coming for an appointment will be given a mask if they have a registered temperature and allowed to enter for their appointment.

If you are experiencing a fever or other symptoms of COVID-19, call your primary care provider.

If you have questions about COVID-19 or need guidance on where to get tested, please call Mary Washington Healthcare Health Link at 540.741.1100. Follow us on social media for the latest COVID-19 updates.

The safest place for you to be in a medical emergency is under the care of skilled clinical and medical personnel. If you are having a medical emergency, such as chest pain or stroke, do not delay care because of fear of COVID-19. Call 911, and the first responders will transport you safely to the hospital.

If you are still unsure if you should come to the emergency room, please call our Health Link nurse advice line from 6:00 a.m.-midnight, 365 days a year. You can reach them at 540.741.1000.

If your doctor has scheduled a surgery or procedure for you, please click here for an important checklist of steps you'll need to follow to keep you and our staff safe.

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Regular appointments with your primary care provider or specialist

We recommend that you not cancel or delay any appointment you have scheduled. You should proceed with your healthcare as previously planned.

• If you have an appointment with a Mary Washington Medical Group provider, you will be pre-screened prior to your appointment.
• If you are experiecing any respiratory symptoms, please call prior to your appointment to be sure the office can still see you.
• You may be asked to reschedule a non-urgent specialty appointment if you are symptomatic, and you will be directed to visit your primary care provider.
• You may notice that magazines and remote controls have been removed from patient waiting areas. This is for your protection.
• We recommend practicing social distancing in providers' waiting rooms, for the safety of you, your children, and others.

Any changes to these recommendations will be published on this page and on our Facebook page.

Si su médico le ha programado una cirugía o un procedimiento, por favor haga click aquí para ver un listado importante de los pasos que deberá seguir para protegerle a usted y a nuestro personal.

The COVID-19 vaccine is availble to everyone age 12 and over in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Visit vaccinefinder.org or vdh.virginia.gov/rappahannock to find a location near you.

Please click here to see our updated visitation guidelines.

If you experience COVID-19 symptoms but do not require immediate medical attention, it’s recommended you stay at home to recover and prevent the spread of illness. If you have trouble breathing or have flu-like symptoms that do not improve, call your provider before visiting the office or hospital. For the protection of other patients, you will be asked to wear a face mask prior to arriving.

In this video clip below, Mary Washington Healthcare physicians, Dr. Richard Lewis and Dr. Steve Mandell, advise our community of where to seek care if you have respiratory symptoms or exposure to COVID-19. You can also call 540.741.1000 to talk to an MWHC nurse to determine your best level of care based on your symptoms.

• The CDC recommends that you wear cloth face coverings in public settings when around people outside of your household. You should also wear a mask when social distancing is difficult to maintain.
• Updated CDC guidance on mask wearing for fully vaccinated individuals. Mary Washington Healthcare still requires you to wear a mask when visiting any of our facilities.
• How to Properly Wear a Mask: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-to-wear-cloth-face-coverings.html

Image from the CDC website.

In the interest of public safety and the health of our community:

• Support groups and community meetings that meet in Mary Washington Healthcare facilities are cancelled until further notice.

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• Life Support Training Center classes including NRP Courses at Mary Washington and Stafford Hospital have been cancelled until further notice.

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• Walk-in bill payment service is suspended for now. Please pay your bill through MyChart or by calling 540.741.1041. For any questions or concerns about your bill, please call 540.741.1041. For help with MyChart login, or to learn how to pay as a guest, please visit our Pay My Bill page. You can also pay your bill by mail by sending a cashier’s check, personal check, or credit card information to the following address. Indicate Bill Number on the memo line of the check:
  
  Mary Washington Healthcare
  2300 Fall Hill Ave., Suite 101
  Fredericksburg, VA 22401

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Mary Washington Medical Laboratories, Medical Group practices, Mary Washington Eye Care Center and Medical Arts Pharmacy are OPEN and maintaining their regular hours. If you are experiencing any respiratory symptoms, please call ahead before your appointment.

We appreciate your understanding as we respond to the health needs of our community.

As always, good hygiene and proper handwashing techniques are best practices to keep you and your family healthy. According to the CDC guidance on handwashing, these five steps will help prevent the spread of germs:

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Other ways to stay healthy:

• If you are feeling ill (fever, cough, shortness of breath), stay at home and avoid close contact with other members of your family.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue away.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces with household detergent and water prior to disinfection.
• Wear a cloth mask when you are in public places to help minimize the risk of you inadvertently shedding the virus if you are presymptomatic. See below for laundering instructions we have shared with our associates.

Dr. Steve Mandell on the importance of social distancing:

If you are pregnant:

Here is guidance based on the latest science:

• Pregnant women might be at greater risk of severe illness than other healthy adults if they get the virus.
• It is unlikely for a woman to transmit the virus to their baby while pregnant. However, it may be possible to transmit after the baby is born via respiratory particles; wearing a mask lowers this risk.
• There are rare reports where the virus has been detected in samples of the breastmilk, blood, placenta, and amniotic fluid of infected pregnant women.
• The baby is unlikely to be exposed to the virus during pregnancy.
• The virus is unlikely to cause problems with the baby’s development and no long-term problems have been found so far.

Nevertheless, if you are pregnant public health officials recommend you take certain safety precautions.

• Wash your hands frequently.
• Stay away from public places.
• Reduce social contact with others through social distancing.
• Avoid anyone who has symptoms of the virus.
• Routinely clean any surfaces after each use.
• Refrain from touching your face.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization recommend you continue to breastfeed your baby.

• There are rare reports where the virus has been detected in samples of the breastmilk, although it remains unclear if the virus can be transmitted through breastfeeding.
• The virus can be transmitted through coughing, sneezing, and even breathing - small droplets can spread the virus from person to person.

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or are awaiting test results, follow these steps:

• Wash your hands with soap and water before you touch your baby.
• Wear a mask during feedings. Your doctor may recommend using a breast pump and avoid feeding at the breast directly until your symptoms resolve.
• Wash your hands before touching breast pumps or any parts.
• After pumping, clean the pump and its parts thoroughly.
• Routinely clean and disinfect any surface you touch.

• Learn more on the CDC's COVID-19 website and the Virginia Department of Health Coronavirus website.
• You may also call the Virginia Department of Health hotline at 1-877-ASK-VDH3.
• Nutrition tips for cancer patients during COVID-19
• Struggling to find the words to talk to your children about COVID-19? Our friends at RACSB developed a "coronavirus journal" for children to write and draw their feelings. We hope it's a useful tool to help your children process the life changes they are experiencing right now.

Download the coronavirus journal

"We have all been inspired by the generosity of so many individuals in Virginia since COVID-19 began impacting the Commonwealth," said Secretary of Health and Human Resources Daniel Carey, MD. "We need all hands on deck as we expand our health system capacity in the weeks ahead. Now more than ever, joining the MRC is a great way to take action and give back to your community in a meaningful way."

Individuals with or without medical training are encouraged to apply to the Medical Reserve Corps, Virginia’s dedicated force of volunteers in times of crisis.

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is made up of teams of health professionals, as well as community members, who volunteer their time and expertise to help save lives.

To become a Virginia Medical Reserve Corps volunteer, please visit Virginia Volunteer Health System (www.vamrc.org). Once you apply, your application is immediately forwarded to the MRC coordinator in your area. Applications that are incomplete after 2 weeks will be deleted. If you need assistance, please email vamrc@vdh.virginia.gov.