Dear Capital Medical Clinic patients,
We are grateful that the FDA has approved two vaccines for Covid-19 that are very effective and safe. Our physicians and staff look forward to getting vaccinated as soon as possible. We encourage our patients to do so as well.
Our clinic has been approved to receive and distribute the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. At this point we do not know when Capital Medical Clinic will receive the vaccine. As soon as we learn this information, we will inform you through an email and on our website. At that time, we will also communicate the order in which we will vaccinate our patients based on their exposure to Covid-19 and their risk of becoming sick from the virus. In the meantime, please do not call our office to ask when we will offer the vaccine so our staff can be accessible to you for other health needs.
If you are able to get a Covid-19 vaccine before it is offered at our clinic, we encourage you to do so. It will likely be offered at other locations such as pharmacies and other clinics. Since the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have similar efficacy and safety profiles, we recommend you get whichever one is accessible to you.
Since the pandemic began, Capital Medical Clinic has remained open and available for both in-person and telemedicine visits. We are proud that not one Covid-19 case in patients or staff can be traced to being physically present in our clinic. We have been able to achieve this by our staff and patients adhering to our safety protocols.
Covid-19 is increasing in Austin. Travis. On Friday, December 18, Travis County reached the threshold for moving to Stage 5 guidelines. To effectively respond to this situation, we have three requests for our patients. First, if you’ve recently been exposed to Covid-19 or have any symptoms that could possibly be from Covid-19, such as a cough, loss of sense of taste or smell, fever, or shortness of breath, you must make your visit a telemedicine visit rather than in-person. If you are infected, entering the clinic could result in staff and other patients becoming infected. Second, when you are in the clinic, please keep your mask on at all times, even while waiting for the physician or physician assistant in the exam room. Third, if your health issue can be addressed virtually rather than being in-person, strongly consider making your visit a telemedicine visit. If you already scheduled an in-person visit and would like to change it to telemedicine, please call our office and we will make the change.
Through the distribution of safe and effective vaccines, the end to this terrible pandemic is in sight. In the interim, as the winter and holidays bring a surge in cases, let’s work together to preserve each others’ lives and health.
Sincerely,
James Marroquin, M.D.