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About Your Care During COVID at the Cancer Institute

Your health and safety are our top concern. For your protection, as well as the well-being of all patients and staff members, when visiting the Cancer Institute, please be sure to follow all masking, physical distancing  and visitation guidelines as advised. We are grateful for your continuing understanding and support. 

What is the Cancer Institute doing to help protect me from exposure to COVID-19?

To ensure your continuing health and safety at this time, the Cancer Institute has put a number of enhanced safety precautions in place. These include health screening stations at every entrance, to assess patients and visitors for COVID-19 symptoms; a strict visitor policy that limits access to the building and decreases the risk of additional coronavirus exposure; and masks for all patients, as well as additional personal protective equipment (or PPE) for our caregivers, to offer added protection against COVID-19 transmission.

In addition, we are also taking temperatures of all patients and visitors at our entrances. As an added precaution, we have also cancelled all elective surgeries. Some routine doctor visits are being scheduled using telehealth so that you can maintain communication with your health care team.

Besides wearing a mask, practicing good hand hygiene and social distancing, what can I do to support my overall health and recovery at this time?

Patients being treated for cancer are at higher risk for getting COVID-19 and many other illnesses because cancer-fighting medications and treatments tend to weaken the immune system (or the body's ability to fend off infection).

  • The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to be sure your COVID vaccination is up to date. This means getting a booster and, for those who are immunocompromised, possibly an additional dose of the vaccine if your doctor recommends it.
  • Taking good care of yourself is the best way to give your immune system its best shot for resisting the coronavirus. Eating right, staying hydrated, getting plenty of rest and keeping active are things you can do to keep yourself strong.
  • In these anxious times, it's also helpful to practice mindful techniques that encourage relaxation and a sense of well-being and promote health, healing and recovery.
  • Making sure your home is clean and disinfected properly is also a great defense against many types of illnesses, including COVID-19.

More Tips for Staying Healthy

The experts at UM St. Joseph and University of Maryland Medical System offer the following information to help you understand What You Need to Know About Coronavirus, including symptoms and prevention, lifestyle tips and coping strategies.

Helpful Links: Other Trusted Resources for Current COVID Information

Find timely, accurate and helpful COVID-related health information online:

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