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Dr -- 1. I Am An Attorney & I Have

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Posted on Wed, 19 Aug 2020
Question: Dr --

1. I am an attorney & I have to visit clients at a jail facility. The facility has about 1700 inmates & employees. According to a recent news article 8% of inmates/employees are positive for COVID-19 at this jail facility.

2. I plan on wearing a N95 mask & eye protection & plan on spending approximately one hour at the facility.

3. I will be separated by [sealed] glass from the inmates & I will communicate only by telephone. There is a small latch that is open between the inmate & attorney so any paper or document can be exchanged.

4. I will also try to maintain social distance from the employees at the jail [some of who are infected with COVID-19; although employees that are positive may not be working at this time]

5. What do you think my risk is of being infected with COVID-19 under these circumstances?

Thank you.
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Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (0 minute later)
Dr --

1. I am an attorney & I have to visit clients at a jail facility. The facility has about 1700 inmates & employees. According to a recent news article 8% of inmates/employees are positive for COVID-19 at this jail facility.

2. I plan on wearing a N95 mask & eye protection & plan on spending approximately one hour at the facility.

3. I will be separated by [sealed] glass from the inmates & I will communicate only by telephone. There is a small latch that is open between the inmate & attorney so any paper or document can be exchanged.

4. I will also try to maintain social distance from the employees at the jail [some of who are infected with COVID-19; although employees that are positive may not be working at this time]

5. What do you think my risk is of being infected with COVID-19 under these circumstances?

Thank you.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
low risk

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

wearing an N95 mask and eye protection should be more than OK with this kind of interaction. If you'd like to protect yourself even better you can try the N99 mask. Make sure that the masks fit tightly to your face - there should be fitting instructions on the package and you can also find them everywhere on the internet.

You should avoid physical contact with anybody and you should use a disinfectant (containing 70% alcohol) after you touch anything that someone else might have touched (the telephone, the documents, etc).

You should keep a distance of at least 2 meters from anybody.

Keep in mind that the virus may survive on objects for several days, so whenever you handle potentially contaminated objects you should wash your hands with soap and water or a disinfectant (if water is not available).

At all times make sure that you don't touch your face (particularly your mouth, nose or eyes) with your hands, have they not been properly washed or disinfected.

Being cautious (as described above) will almost eliminate the risk for transmission.

I hope I've answered your question. Please let me know if you need further assistance.

Kind Regards,
Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis,
Internal Medicine Specialist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
low risk

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

wearing an N95 mask and eye protection should be more than OK with this kind of interaction. If you'd like to protect yourself even better you can try the N99 mask. Make sure that the masks fit tightly to your face - there should be fitting instructions on the package and you can also find them everywhere on the internet.

You should avoid physical contact with anybody and you should use a disinfectant (containing 70% alcohol) after you touch anything that someone else might have touched (the telephone, the documents, etc).

You should keep a distance of at least 2 meters from anybody.

Keep in mind that the virus may survive on objects for several days, so whenever you handle potentially contaminated objects you should wash your hands with soap and water or a disinfectant (if water is not available).

At all times make sure that you don't touch your face (particularly your mouth, nose or eyes) with your hands, have they not been properly washed or disinfected.

Being cautious (as described above) will almost eliminate the risk for transmission.

I hope I've answered your question. Please let me know if you need further assistance.

Kind Regards,
Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis,
Internal Medicine Specialist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (5 days later)
Dr. thank you & I have a follow-up question.

1. Do you think the air-conditioning system at the jail poses a risk to those who enter?

2. because it may recirculate the air/droplets/aerosol contained at the prison facility & visitors may end up breathing contaminated air at the prison facility -- even though I may be wearing a mask during my visit?

Thank you.
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Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (0 minute later)
Dr. thank you & I have a follow-up question.

1. Do you think the air-conditioning system at the jail poses a risk to those who enter?

2. because it may recirculate the air/droplets/aerosol contained at the prison facility & visitors may end up breathing contaminated air at the prison facility -- even though I may be wearing a mask during my visit?

Thank you.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
there may be some risk

Detailed Answer:
Hello again,

regarding your first question: there may be some risk with the air conditioning system. The risk will be lower if the air is filtered and fresh air comes into the room at all times. I don't know the situation in this particular prison you're going to visit but there is some risk.

Regarding your 2nd question: the good news is that the mask protects you from breathing contaminated air although masks are not 100% safe. Another thing to consider is that according to your statement only 8% of the prison inhabitants are infected which probably means that the air conditioning system is not a serious threat - I mean that if the circulating air was really dangerous, I would expect more inhabitants (and personnel) to become infected.

The bottom line is that you can't be 100% safe no matter how many precautions you may take but you can make sure that you keep a distance from all individuals, watch what you touch, do not touch your face and wash your hands thoroughly.

Kind Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
there may be some risk

Detailed Answer:
Hello again,

regarding your first question: there may be some risk with the air conditioning system. The risk will be lower if the air is filtered and fresh air comes into the room at all times. I don't know the situation in this particular prison you're going to visit but there is some risk.

Regarding your 2nd question: the good news is that the mask protects you from breathing contaminated air although masks are not 100% safe. Another thing to consider is that according to your statement only 8% of the prison inhabitants are infected which probably means that the air conditioning system is not a serious threat - I mean that if the circulating air was really dangerous, I would expect more inhabitants (and personnel) to become infected.

The bottom line is that you can't be 100% safe no matter how many precautions you may take but you can make sure that you keep a distance from all individuals, watch what you touch, do not touch your face and wash your hands thoroughly.

Kind Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (25 hours later)
Dr --

1. If I receive mail from a client at the prison - for how long could that letter/document be conceivably contaminated?

2. What precautions should I take when handling the mail that I receive from the prison?

Thank you.
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Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (0 minute later)
Dr --

1. If I receive mail from a client at the prison - for how long could that letter/document be conceivably contaminated?

2. What precautions should I take when handling the mail that I receive from the prison?

Thank you.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (4 hours later)
Brief Answer:
uncertain

Detailed Answer:
1. Nobody can say for sure. The virus should probably die within a few days.

2. You can use gloves when touching potentially contaminated objects, discard them properly and wash your hands afterwards.

Even if you touch a contaminated object, you can't catch the virus unless you touch your face (eyes, nose, mouth). Washing your hands thoroughly eliminates this possibility.

Best Regards,

Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
uncertain

Detailed Answer:
1. Nobody can say for sure. The virus should probably die within a few days.

2. You can use gloves when touching potentially contaminated objects, discard them properly and wash your hands afterwards.

Even if you touch a contaminated object, you can't catch the virus unless you touch your face (eyes, nose, mouth). Washing your hands thoroughly eliminates this possibility.

Best Regards,

Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis
Note: For further follow-up it is advisable to consult an emergency medicine specialist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 3818 Questions

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Dr -- 1. I Am An Attorney & I Have

Dr -- 1. I am an attorney & I have to visit clients at a jail facility. The facility has about 1700 inmates & employees. According to a recent news article 8% of inmates/employees are positive for COVID-19 at this jail facility. 2. I plan on wearing a N95 mask & eye protection & plan on spending approximately one hour at the facility. 3. I will be separated by [sealed] glass from the inmates & I will communicate only by telephone. There is a small latch that is open between the inmate & attorney so any paper or document can be exchanged. 4. I will also try to maintain social distance from the employees at the jail [some of who are infected with COVID-19; although employees that are positive may not be working at this time] 5. What do you think my risk is of being infected with COVID-19 under these circumstances? Thank you.