← All articles

WCCB – Tryon Medical Partners Preparing For Coronavirus In Mecklenburg County

Dr. Ryan Shelton visited WCCB’s News Rising to answer questions about the Coronavirus in the Charlotte region.

CHARLOTTE, NC — There are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Mecklenburg County, but health care providers are preparing for the outbreak to make its way here. Tryon Medical Partners has a special committee of doctors in the practice following trends related to the coronavirus and have set up patient protocols to follow related to the virus.

Tryon Medical Partners board member, Dr. Ryan Shelton, encourages you to avoid touching other people when you can, and wipe down surfaces.

“This new strain of coronavirus is spread by respiratory droplets, so we’re more concerned about a three to six foot space in front of where you would be coughing. But we don’t know exactly how long those droplets when they land on a surface – how long is that living there?” said Dr. Shelton. “If we can try to keep this in perspective and try to stay a little bit calmer and focus less on the numbers and the counting and a little bit more on what we can actually do to be prepared and control things for our self – that inherently keeps our immune system healthier.”

Something else to keep in mind: This new strain of coronavirus affects the lower respiratory tract, which includes symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, and fever.

You can learn more about the coronavirus here.

You can also call Mecklenburg County’s coronavirus hotline at 980-314-9400. 

Dr. Shelton is a primary care doctor who specializes in adult medicine. Internists are trained to handle an array of adult illnesses and coordinate patient referrals to specialists. Dr. Shelton is on the board of Tryon Medical Partners, the largest primary care medical practice in the Charlotte region. The practice serves about 15% of Mecklenburg County’s population.