Take care of yourself and see your provider.

Sienna was born January 6, 2020, to Alex and Elyse Ejzak. When she was just a few months old, COVID-19 spread across the United States. “It was certainly alarming, to say the least,” says Alex. “When the first patients were diagnosed in New York, it became real. So much was uncertain; so much was unknown.”

Alex continued his work at South County Health as a physician’s assistant despite the risk of having a newborn at home. “My wife and I had several conversations about what we should do.” Alex said. “The last thing I wanted to do was expose my wife and newborn baby.” They debated whether Elyse should take the baby and move in with her mother for a short time. “I didn’t want to miss out on those first few months of Sienna’s childhood,” Alex said. “And I wanted to be able to help my wife.”

Ultimately, they decided it was best to stay under the same roof and continue taking precautions. Alex said he always showered and put his scrubs in a bag for separate laundering before seeing his wife and baby. Sometimes he also showered at work before heading home.

“It was a stressful time for our family not knowing how contagious COVID-19 would be and how much PPE [personalized protective equipment] was needed.” Alex says. “My wife had been furloughed from her job and I was caught between earning an income and keeping my young family safe.”

“It was also hard for our extended family,” Alex says. “We spent a lot of time on FaceTime so grandparents could see Sienna grow.”

As tough as 2020 was for the Ejzak family, Alex says he will tell his little girl when she grows up that “It was a tough time, but a great time. COVID-19 proved to be a blessing for the extra moments we could spend together at home.”

Now that a year has passed, Alex encourages patients to take care of their health. “We’re seeing patients wait much longer to come in.” Alex says. “Because COVID-19 is so hyped in the news, patients are waiting and coming in much sicker.” He says he often finds himself asking more questions and spending more time with patients to try to find the true source of their illness. His advice? “Take care of yourself and see your provider for regular exams as well as any signs of illness.”