All of us at Lighthouse Foot and Ankle Center are wishing the Scarborough community, and the world at large, health and safety at this time. We thought it would be nice to share an uplifting new foot-related trend to brighten your day!
In the past couple of weeks, life has turned upside down for most Americans due to the outbreak of COVID-19. During a time of such uncertainty and hardship, some people are finding ways to face these changes with a positive attitude and creative thinking. One of the major ways things have changed is how we greet one another. From the everyday handshake to more friendly greetings like hugs, we must think twice now before such close physical contact with our colleagues, friends, and loved ones.
Snapshots from social media around the world—including China, Iran, and Tanzania—show people bumping feet together in a lighthearted greeting. Some have even dubbed this new way to say “Hello!” the “Wuhan handshake,” after the city in China where the virus originated.
Not to make light of a serious situation, this is actually a great way to cope with the stress that may come with such abrupt and unprecedented changes in our daily customs and routines. As public health official Dr. Sylvie Briand, director of the Department of Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases at the World Health Organization, tweeted along with a comic about alternative greetings, “We need to adapt to this new disease.”
For your own well-being, we also wanted to share the WHO’s top 5 tips for stopping the coronavirus:
HANDS—Wash them often
ELBOW—Cough into it
FACE—Don't touch it
FEET—Stay more than 3ft apart
FEEL—sick? Stay home!
Out of an abundance of concern for your safety, we have decided to close the office for non-emergent patients and routine exams until March 30th. We felt this was the most responsible course of action. Our goal is to keep everyone healthy.
You may call our office directly during normal business hours or contact us via the patient portal. We will have very limited hours for emergency patients.
If you are experiencing pain in your foot or heel, or an injury to your foot or ankle, call us today at 207-774-0028 to set up an appointment with Dr. Michelle Kurlanski!
Dr. Kurlanski provides skilled and professional podiatry care in Cumberland County, Maine, at Lighthouse Foot and Ankle Center in Scarborough.