This New Doctor-Run Company Will Help You Navigate Travel in the Covid Era
As an infectious disease specialist, Dr. Dana Lerman was in thick of it during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Not only was I a physician being greatly impacted by this at work, but I was also a human being trying—like everyone—to navigate this in my life, and for my family,” recalls the Colorado-based physician and mother of three. Thankfully, the curve eventually flattened in her region and hospital admissions went down—as did the number of infectious disease cases in general. But while this meant the doctor wasn’t needed at the hospital as much, it was clear that the need for her expertise was still great.
“Friends and family from all over the country were calling me for advice on things like how they could safely re-open their businesses, how they could get access to testing and how to figure out travel requirements,” she notes. So in May, Dr. Lerman founded The COVID Consultants, which offers services for both business and individuals that harness the insight and expertise of a team of health pros—including helping potential travelers access at-home tests that yield results within 48-hours.
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The services offered by The COVID Consultants can be adapted to your needs; businesses, for example, can hire the company to do everything from re-arranging the furniture for safe social distancing and organizing testing for employees to vetting and hiring an in-house health compliance officer. For individuals, however, the most requested service is the COVID-19 PCR test. For $219, clients will receive a kit for an at-home saliva-based test, along with pre-paid priority overnight FedEx shipping labels. Results will be sent out within 48-hours—either by email if the test is negative or, if positive, via a personal call from Dr. Lerman. Either way, clients will also receive an email with links and helpful follow-up information.
For those getting tested before traveling, the CC team will also help source the latest details on the entry requirements of your destination. “I don’t want to just sell tests, but offer a service,” says the doctor, noting that there are so many variables involved in dealing with coronavirus, including knowing when to get tested for the most reliable results. “My main goal is education, as there has been so much confusion around this. As a physician, it’s frightening and unsettling to see what is being touted out there. People need a unified voice they can trust, and as infectious disease experts, we feel that we should be providing the info.”
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