COVID-19 Information

Important Notice About COVID-19

To Our Patients:

As a dedicated provider of cancer care, we are committed to your and your family’s health. We also understand that you have concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

At Astera Cancer Care, we continue to closely monitor the evolving situation, following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and taking a series of specific actions to protect our patients. These actions include the following special precautions:

We are scheduling patient visits in our office as well as through telemedicine. 

• We encourage our patients to utilize our remote, video-based telemedicine system, Doxy, where patients can see their Provider from the safety and comfort of their homes. To learn more about Doxy, click here. Patients can also schedule an in-office visit, however, as we are limiting the number of visits to our offices for safety reasons, wait times may be longer for the scheduling of in-office visits.

International and Domestic Travel

Due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic across all states, there remains an increased risk of spread upon return from international travel. We are following the recommendations of the New Jersey Dept. of Health.

Patients who have traveled domestically will no longer need to quarantine for two weeks after returning, provided they received their final vaccination more than two weeks before the travel began.

We are now using Clearwave, a remote check in process.

• We recommend our patients to complete the pre-check process through this system, to maximize safety and shorten our wait time.
• If you are not able to complete the remote check-in process, please check in at our Clearwave kiosks, located in our waiting rooms.

COVID-19 screening for all patients.

• All patients will be screened before coming to the office to identify anyone with a risk of infection. A series of questions will be asked regarding symptoms and travel history, based on the State of New Jersey travel quarantine mandate.

Please, no visitors.

• Companions or visitors are not currently allowed inside.  Providers can call any visitor who would like to be involved in the care of a patient.  We ask that all companions, including family members, wait outside the office or drop off patients to decrease risk of infection.

We will continue to see new patients.

• All new patient records will be reviewed, and patients with a new diagnosis of cancer will be seen within 24 to 48 hours as dictated by our present policy.  These visits may be scheduled in-office or through our telemedicine system.

Staff will be continuing to wear surgical masks and face shields to decrease the risk of infection.

Please read our full letter to patients regarding new patient-safety measures. 

Please read our full letter to patients regarding the new COVID-19 vaccine.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at 732-390-7750.

As things change, we will adjust our policies and practices to respond appropriately to new developments. At the same time, we intend to keep you informed about best infection-control practices and what you need to know to keep yourself and your loved one safe.

Please be sure to follow the recommended infection-control guidelines, which come from the CDC.

How can you limit your exposure to the virus?

The best way to prevent COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the virus, which at this time is thought to spread mainly person-to-person. How do you do that?

• Wash your hands with soap and water – frequently and for at least 20 seconds each time
• If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol
• Avoid touching your face
• Maintain “social distancing” between others (about six feet apart)
• Avoid contact with people who are sick
• Cover your mouth and nose if you cough or sneeze (and immediately wash or sanitize your hands)

What should you do if you’re sick?

• Stay home except to get medical care when moderately ill – avoid public areas, transportation, events, etc.
• If you’re around other ill persons or caring for others, wear a facemask
• Cover coughs and sneezes, wash/sanitize hands and clean and disinfect all high-touch surfaces daily
• Monitor symptoms – seek prompt medical care if symptoms worsen
• If seeking care for illness, call your doctor before going to the office, so they are aware you are potentially infected with COVID-19
• Cancel appointments made for other reasons while you are sick
• Take appropriate actions to maximize your safety and keep you informed
• Call 911 if you have a medical emergency

Rest assured that we will continue evaluating developments and taking appropriate actions to reduce exposure and keep you up-to-date.