Desert Aids Project Transforms Facility into Covid-19 Triage Clinic

[bc_video video_id="6142389913001″ account_id="5728959025001″ player_id="Hkbio1usDM" embed="in-page" padding_top="56%" autoplay="" min_width="0px" max_width="640px" width="100%" height="100%"] The Desert Aids Project is stepping up in a big way to help in response to Covid-19. They have transformed their facility into a specialized triage clinic to help keep their patients and medical experts safe. "Have you been in contact with anyone sick with and upper-lower respiratory disease or anyone suspected of having Covid-19?" That is just one of the three questions people are being asked when walking into DAP facilities. People who answered no to all three screening questions are given a sticker and cleared to enter the rest of the building. "If anybody’s answer is affirmative to any of the screening questions, we then give them a mask to wear while they are on campus and then escort them to our triage clinic," explained David Brinkman, CEO of Desert Aids Project. NBC Palm Springs was not able to go inside the triage as various patients had checked in who were symptomatic. "In the last 72 hours or so we made a lot of rapid changes here, we took our dock which was previously our walk-in std and sexual health clinic and moved it over into our new building which is the green clinic and converted the dock now into a Covid-19 triage unit," said Dr. Christopher Foltz, Infectious Disease Physician. Dr. Foltz says people with mild symptoms like fever, cough, and shortness of breath should stay home for 14 days, leaving the tirage open to people with more severe symptoms with the goal of helping hospitals from being over impacted. "Right now because of limited resources we are not able to test everybody, so if you are with mild symptoms, low risk, or without symptoms you will not be tested," added Foltz. Tests will be reserved for the highest people at risk who are experiencing more moderate symptoms. "Symptoms to worry about specifically are the shortness of breath and difficulty breathing," explained Foltz. "Desert Aids Project was founded at the beginning of another pandemic, responding to Covid-19 is in our DNA. when you use our holistic system of healthcare we will keep people alive against all odds as we have for the last three decades," said Brinkman. Desert Aids Project has also set up a Covid-19 information line for people who are concerned after hours. The number is (760) 992-0407.