AFC Urgent Care Bridgeport is helping to provide COVID-19 Resources and Updates to help fight the global pandemic.

Please call our Bridgeport clinic at 203.333.4400 or 203.916.5151 before coming in for any urgent care visit. We currently do not do COVID-19 testing.

COVID-19 is one of the most dangerous global health crises in 2020, which is now flagged as a major public health concern in the United States. For patients, it is imperative to follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and local healthcare officials.

AFC Urgent Care Bridgeport is here to provide you with the best sources of information from leading healthcare agencies, and frequent major media updates. Misinformation from unverified social media sources can cause patients to panic or participate in ineffective prevention methods. Use the following modules and links to learn more!

Important Update: We are not testing for COVID-19. Make sure you call our clinic in advance to determine your best treatment option. We will evaluate you, test for influenza, and contact the Connecticut DPH if appropriate. Our provider team can collect samples and send to our third-party reference lab for testing if deemed necessary by our providers. You may also be tested for influenza at the same time. The current test results turnaround time is 7-10 days but may change in the upcoming days.

Please call  in advance to alert the team!

The current CDC guidelines for testing can be found here, which are helpful for evaluating your risk of COVID-19.

However, patients that don’t meet the clinical guidelines as a likely match for COVID-19 can still be tested for seasonal illnesses. The common cold and flu have similar symptoms to COVID-19: Sneezing, coughing, and fever.

COVID-19 Resources for Patients

Use the following links to find fast and available information about COVID-19 locally and globally. The following resources provide daily updates about COVID-19:

CDC Updates on COVID-19​

Follow the Centers for Disease Control updates to learn about national preparedness for the coronavirus.

WHO Updates on COVID-19

The World Health Organization is leading public awareness and containment efforts related to nC0V-2019 on a global scale.

Connecticut Updates on COVID-19

We’ve curated recent and local news from the Department of Public Health to help give you the information necessary to stay healthy and safe!

COVID-19 FAQs for Patients:

What is a Coronavirus? What is COVID-19?

Coronavirus is a type of virus that impacts a patient’s upper respiratory system. Public health officials and the Centers for disease control name the strain detected in Wuhan, China as “2019-nCoV.” According to the CDC, coronaviruses are “a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with MERS, SARS, and now with 2019-nCoV.”

A coronavirus is a special virus that spreads within a certain species of animal, which can cause significant respiratory trouble and incredibly harmful results within the same species. nCoV-2019 is an especially rare case of a coronavirus spreading from a foreign animal species to humans.

Symptoms of the coronavirus begin as any onset acute illness with coughing, sneezing, sinus pain, and congestion. However, patients with the virus soon develop extreme difficulty breathing and fatal respiratory symptoms.

How did COVID-19 spread from China? How widespread is it in the United States? 

nCoV-2019 was discovered in Wuhan, China, where several patients became infected after the virus spread from an animal reservoir in the county. Some patients were linked to the virus after buying goods and interacting with contaminated foods in a live animal market.

However, international public health agencies have determined that the virus is primarily spread from person-to-person interaction, which has caused a devastating number of cases. In fact, recent news outlets report over 1000 deaths and 43,000 worldwide are infected with the virus. (This number may be climbing at the time of this report)

International travelers coming back to their home countries (U.S, United Kingdom, etc.)  from Wuhan have been quarantined while cruise ships near main port cities have been stalled due to potential virus risks.

However, the aggressively virulent nature of the virus has now caused thousands of cases in the country.  The CDC estimates that 68,440 current cases of COVID-19 exist in the United States (As of 3/26/2020)

Is COVID-19 in Connecticut? 

The coronavirus has spread into with cases growing at a rapid pace. At least 1012 cases being investigated by the Department of Public Health as of 3-26-2020. However, the virus may spread even further as it is likely to continue spreading. Currently, COVID-19 has led to 121 confirmed deaths in the state of Connecticut.

How can I prevent COVID-19? 

Public health officials want to make it clear to patients that routine hygiene and general disease prevention are crucial to lowering your risk of getting a coronavirus infection. In fact, the CDC outlined the key prevention methods which are similar to the flu and common cold Here are a few more specific prevention strategies for patients:

“As with other respiratory viruses, we recommend people protect themselves and others by practicing everyday actions:

  • Clean hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing.
  • Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
  • Stay home if you are sick.
  • Get an annual flu vaccine if you have not had one.
  • Practice social distancing to avoid the spread whenever you have to leave your household. 

If patients have any other questions about coronavirus prevention, then please call a local healthcare provider to learn the facts about coronavirus and disease safety!