WHAT: COVID-19 Clinic Open at Desert AIDS Project
WHERE: 1695 North Sunrise Way in Palm Springs
CONTACT: Jack Bunting (760) 656-8472 jbunting@desertaidsproject.org
WHY: To mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and alleviate suffering in our community.
WHEN: Clinic is open Mondays through Fridays from 8am – 5pm
Important Resources:
- DAP’s HOTLINE for COVID-19 Information and consultation is: (760) 992-0407
- Learn more about DAP’s COVID-19 Clinic at: https://bit.ly/2vvnhDU
- For a Q&A on COVID-19 at: https://bit.ly/2TT5qQG
- Learn more about the new healthcare clinics at DAP at: https://bit.ly/2Qnxppn
Desert AIDS Project has opened a COVID-19 Clinic on its campus, created to treat and test clients struggling with severe symptoms of Coronavirus.
Before being seen at the clinic, clients must be screened and referred by a DAP clinician.
DAP is NOT offering on-demand testing for a-symptomatic clients or those with mild symptoms of illness. Anyone who thinks they might be suffering from COVID-19 should call (760) 992-0407 for information and the opportunity to talk to DAP clinician about their symptoms.
The CDC and DAP leadership are reminding people that for mild or moderate symptoms of respiratory illness, the best prescription is to stay home and use over-the-counter medications.
Only people with the following symptoms will be examined at DAP by a clinician for possible COVID-19:
1) greater than a 100.4 fever 2) cough 3) shortness of breath.
For the larger Coachella Valley community, DAP believes this move will equate to saving lives and providing some mitigation to an overwhelmed healthcare system, including emergency rooms and hospitals. By opening the clinic today as an emergency response to this dire health crisis, DAP stands to help halt new infections of COVID-19 in our area and prevent deaths.
This measure, as well as heightened hygiene and social distancing, are important in fighting this epidemic, but the window is closing.
“How we act in the next two-to-three weeks are critical to flatten out the curve of this pandemic,” said David Brinkman, CEO.
DAP has launched its COVID-10 Clinic without the budget to do so, and has just started a campaign to raise funds. The anticipated cost at least $575,000 in the coming months to provide this service to the community.
Currently, 7,000 people in the Coachella Valley get primary and specialty care from DAP, plus other services like behavioral health, dentistry, wellness, and social services.
