The Coronavirus and Living Well with Parkinson’s

Coronavirus - Davis Phinney Foundation

Along with many of you, we have been monitoring the severity and reach of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) for the past several weeks. As an organization that hosts many live events, we’ve been particularly concerned about keeping all of those involved in hosting, organizing, traveling to, and attending our live events safe. Discerning what is a real threat and what is media mania is always a challenge in these situations; however, because helping people live well with Parkinson’s today is our principal mission,  we’re confident in our decision to err on the side of safety and health. 

What does that mean for you? 

The biggest change you’ll notice from our end is we’ve decided to change The Victory Summit® event scheduled for March 21, 2020, in Baton Rouge, LA from an in-person gathering to an online-only format for that community. This will allow us to connect and educate that community while minimizing any risk or nervousness associated with gathering in a large group. With the Governor of Florida declaring a state of emergency, and the Governor of Louisiana expressing concern about how quickly cases will spread to that state, we believe this conservative approach is warranted. Our decision to do so has also been supported by several movement disorder specialists across the country who we rely on for expertise in situations like this. 

When it comes to our other upcoming live events, we’ll make decisions on those as more information becomes available. 

How to Protect Yourself Against COVID-19 

The best ways to lessen your risk of getting COVID-19 or any respiratory illness include the following: 

  • Avoid close contact with people who say they are sick or who appear sick 
  • Stay home when you’re sick 
  • Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after eating, going to the bathroom, sneezing, blowing your nose, coughing, or touching someone else 
  • Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough and then throw the tissue away 
  • Cover your nose with a tissue when you sneeze and then throw the tissue away 
  • Disinfect surfaces like grocery cart handles and door handles that are touched by a lot of people before you touch them 
  • If you are sick, wear a mask any time you must be with others (but avoid it if you can) and don’t rely on a mask for prevention 
  • Do not panic at the first sign of a sniffle. It’s the middle of winter and we’re contending with the normal rate of colds and flu as well. Pay attention to your symptoms and call your doctor if you are concerned; however, also remember that sometimes a cough is just a cough. 

Here’s a comprehensive list of the basic protective measures against COVID-19.  

If you have any questions about this, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. 

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Comments (2)

Great plan! I found it was exciting to go to a live Victory Summit but much easier to enjoy one online while watching at home. I missed all the venders and handout materials but I could stretch and keep track of things at home at the same time. With this virus I think many will prefer your alternate program.

Thank you, Carol. It’s not ideal, but we hope it will be a good solution considering the circumstances. I’m glad you liked your experience of watching from home!

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