Office Updates Due to COVID-19
Allergy Associates is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and is taking steps to help ensure the health of our patients and our employees.
FAQs
1. Is the Tucson office open?
As of 3/18/202, YES (during regular business hours)
2. I am on my maintenance dose of allergy shots. How often should I come in for injections?
As long as you come in every 30-45 days for your maintenance allergy shots (and didn’t have a reaction to your last injection/s), your dose will not be reduced.
3. If I am still on build-up, how often should I come in for allergy shots?
In order for your allergy shot dose to be built up (increased), you need to come in approximately once a week; however, we recommend that MOST patients come in only once monthly for now, even if you aren’t on your maintenance dose. We will simply HOLD your current dose until pandemic precautions are lifted.
If you have specific questions about your individual situation, please call our office.
4. May I wait in my car for the 30 minutes wait time after I receive my allergy shots (or Xolair)?
Absolutely. Please let your allergy shots nurse know that you will be doing so, in case you need to be periodically checked in the parking lot. After your 30 minutes wait time has elapsed, please call our office to let us know you’re fine.
5. Should I stop my biologic (eg.; Xolair, Fasenra, Dupixent, Nucala) during the Covid-19 pandemic? Aren’t they immunosuppressants?
No to both questions. Stopping biologics is NOT recommended per pandemic precautions.
6. I was just skin tested and was planning on starting allergy shots. What now?
Except for in very rare cases (such as for venom immunotherapy for patients with venom anaphylaxis), WE WILL NOT BE STARTING ALLERGY SHOTS FOR NEW PATIENTS until pandemic precautions have been lifted. Please call us in about 3-4 months or re-check this website for updates on when we will be recommending starting a new immunotherapy build-up.
7. I have an upcoming appointment scheduled. Should I keep it?
We are calling all scheduled patients on a daily basis to determine the necessity of in-person visits. Whenever possible, we will postpone routine follow-ups for patients with no active problems for 3-4 months.
If you have a NEW PATIENT appointment, or a follow-up appointment WITH AN ACTIVE PROBLEM, we will offer telehealth visits (by phone or computer) whenever possible.
If you have an upcoming appointment for skin testing, we will call you to reschedule the (in most cases).
8. My child is on OIT. Should they continue their daily food allergen doses?
Yes; however in most cases, we will postponing their up-dose appointments and hold them on their current doses. We will contact each of our OIT patients to discuss specific recommendations. IF YOU ARE RUNNING LOW ON YOUR DOSES, please call our office to arrange to pick up refills.
9. I receive my allergy shots at a clinic OTHER than the Tucson office. What should I do?
Again, we recommend that MOST patients on maintenance doses reduce their injections to every 30-45 days, and that patients who are on build-up to HOLD their current doses for now and only come in every 30 days to receive their shot/s. Please see the recommendations above. We are reaching out to all our out-of-town partnering clinics to ensure they are aware of our recommendations.