Atlanta urgent care WestsideMed provides tips to help prevent the spread of monkeypox
WestsideMed, an Atlanta urgent care, recently posted essential information regarding monkeypox, its origins, how it spreads, and monkeypox vaccines in Georgia
— Ariel Esteves
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, UNITED STATES, October 25, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — While the peak of the 2022 monkeypox outbreak may have come and gone a few months past, it’s always important to remain vigilant about one’s health. And Atlanta urgent care WestsideMed agrees, as exhibited by its recent article on monkeypox updates in Georgia.
Led by nurse practitioner Ariel Esteves, ENP, FNP-BC, the Atlanta, Georgia, urgent care provides numerous crucial services to locals who need a quick medical visit. But fast and efficient care isn’t WestsideMed’s only purview.
In a recent article, the medical providers took a deep dive into the most recent health headlines: the status of monkeypox in Georgia.
Learning About Monkeypox With WestsideMed
Indeed, its latest medical offering, Monkeypox In Georgia Update: What To Know, is a primer and update for anyone curious about monkeypox in Georgia or the overall progression of the virus in America.
Experts at WestsideMed spend time informing readers about monkeypox, followed by a solid frequently asked questions section that will, hopefully, allow Georgians to breathe easier. It perhaps doesn’t help matters that the world is still reeling from COVID-19 and its variants. But, according to WestsideMed, although monkeypox is zoonotic, it’s nowhere near as transmissible as COVID-19.
“Monkeypox is a viral disease. Caused by the monkeypox virus, monkeypox shares the same genus (Orthopoxvirus) as smallpox. Monkeypox spreads from animals to humans, meaning it’s a zoonotic virus. However, it’s still unknown whether or not monkeypox originates from monkeys,” says Ariel Esteves.
She further explains that, while it may seem as if monkeypox came out of the blue, it’s not the United States’ first brush with the disease.
“Monkeypox has been around for decades, with the first human case in 1970. And 2022 isn’t the first time the United States dealt with monkeypox. In 2003, the disease made its way to the U.S. from animals from Ghana. However, back then, there were only 47 confirmed cases.”
And indeed, monkeypox usually seems like a more localized phenomenon than widespread contagion.
According to the World Health Organization: “Since [the first cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo], most cases have been reported from rural, rainforest regions of the Congo Basin, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and human cases have increasingly been reported from across central and west Africa.”
When an individual experiences symptoms of monkeypox, the most prevalent are the signature blisters that appear on the skin.
“The main symptom of monkeypox is the blisters that appear on the body. These blisters can show anywhere but tend to appear near the genitals. These blisters can be extremely painful and itchy, lasting for a few weeks,” says Esteves.
Other than blisters, common monkeypox symptoms are flu-like: chills, fever, muscle aches, and sore throat.
Now it’s more important than ever to prevent the further spread of the otherwise elusive virus. Thanks to WestsideMed, learning about stopping the spread of monkeypox is easy.
Stopping The Spread of Monkeypox: What To Know
Thanks to health safety measures that the country is undoubtedly familiar with, monkeypox can be more easily avoided.
For example, one of the most significant risk factors for monkeypox spread is sustained skin-to-skin contact with infected individuals. Likewise, direct contact with monkeypox blisters and bodily fluids helps spread monkeypox.
Additionally, people can spread monkeypox via air droplets. What is the best way to counteract the spread of monkeypox? It’s relatively straightforward and similar to what people have already been engaging in regarding COVID-19. That means washing and sanitizing hands, wearing a mask, and limiting physical contact with infected people.
And although media attention has focused on men who partake in sexual activity with other men as the primary spreaders, WestsideMed reminds readers that anyone can contract the monkeypox virus.
And, thanks to an existing vaccine and these mitigation efforts, monkeypox can hopefully clear up sooner rather than later.
Outbreaks, Pandemics, And Vaccines
Since monkeypox is in the same family as smallpox, the existing vaccine helps prevent both diseases. These vaccines are a two-shot series, with the second shot coming 28 days after the first shot.
But with words like ‘endemic,’ ‘pandemic,’ and ‘epidemic’ being thrown around, WestsideMed aimed to clear up any potential confusion with a clarification of the different terms.
“Right now, [monkeypox is] classified as an outbreak. An outbreak is a larger volume of cases in a particular area over a short period. Monkeypox is endemic to Africa, meaning there is a constant presence and spread in a specific area. Viruses and diseases that transcend international borders with a higher level of spread classify as a pandemic, but with some caveats.
The experts at WestsideMed want to ensure that, while diseases and viruses can run rampant, a prevalent outbreak doesn’t necessarily mean the world is looking at another pandemic like COVID-19.
“Just because a disease spreads to different countries doesn’t mean there’s a pandemic. COVID-19 became a pandemic because of its global reach and how contagious it is from person to person.”
Solving Medical Problems With WestsideMed
While providing readers and Atlantans with medical material to peruse, WestsideMed’s biggest strength is its dedication to helping patients. Staffed by a small but passionate team of medical providers, urgent care doctors in Atlanta treat everything from common sports injuries to COVID-19.
And even if patients needed an annual physical or a quick x-ray in Atlanta, they’re in luck.
This mix of primary and urgent care creates a practical medical resource, allowing people to look after their health without waiting in lines at the emergency room.
Whatever condition patients need treating, the dedicated team at WestsideMed performs a comprehensive physical exam, followed by an in-depth discussion with the patient regarding their present state. Patients then receive recommendations and further examinations. Basic services include EKGs, having an x-ray, lab test, or even being prescribed certain medication to help on the road to recovery.
More About WestsideMed
Founded by emergency medicine & family nurse practitioner Ariel Esteves, WestsideMed provides a warm, welcoming, inclusive environment for patients needing x-rays, EKGs in Atlanta, or an annual physical.
For more information about WestsideMed, contact Atlanta nurse practitioner Ariel Esteves, or visit WestsideMed’s site.
Ariel Esteves
WestsideMed
+1 404-692-1050
email us here
