To Our Partners in Health:
We recognize that there is a lot of information, including mis-information, circulating about
the Novel Coronavirus, now
known as COVID-19. We would like to share a situational update and some
recommendations with the understanding this
is a rapidly evolving situation and information changes frequently.
WHAT IS KNOWN
• The virus causing
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new coronavirus that has not been
previously identified and causes a respiratory
illness.
• Most people diagnosed with COVID-19 experience mild symptoms.
• Like influenza, the people who are most
likely to have severe symptoms and complications from COVID-19 are older
individuals (>60 years old) and those with other medical conditions like
heart and lung disease or diabetes.
• There is no vaccine or treatment currently available for COVID-19.
How THE VIRUS SPREADS
• COVID-19 is believed
to spread primarily the same way the common cold or flu spreads through respiratory droplets that are produced when someone coughs
or sneezes. It is unknown if the virus spreads
on infected surfaces, but this is not believed
to be the main way it spreads.
• People who are most at risk of becoming
infected with COVID-19
are those who have been
in close contact (within about 6 feet) with someone who has the disease.
• People are thought to be most contagious when they are
most symptomatic (the sickest).
WHAT CAN SCHOOLS /BUSINESSES Do Now, PRIOR TO COMMUNITY SPREAD ?
•
Implement your annual seasonal influenza plan.
o Students and staff who are ill,
especially with acute
respiratory symptoms (not allergies
or chronic conditions), should stay home.
o Review sick
policies for staff; ensure staff can stay home when ill.
Enhance
cleaning of high touch surfaces like doorknobs, toilet handles, and sink handles.
Ensure that
hand sanitizer, soap/paper towels and tissues are widely available.
Encourage
people to cover their coughs/sneezes with a tissue or their elbow.
Ensure prescribed cleaning is happening (routine disinfectants are appropriate).
•
Plan for when community spread occurs (non-pharmaceutical interventions or NPls) o Explore telecommuting and other work-at-home options.
o Identify at-home learning
opportunities during student
absences or school closures.
o Ensure parents/guardians have a plan to
designate a caregiver for a sick child(ren) if parents/guardians can't stay home .
o Look for opportunities to address food
insecurity for families
who rely on schools for breakfast and/or lunch.
o Identify how the school will
communicate updates to parents/guardians.
o For more
information about the use of NPls to respond to pandemics, visit
https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/.
LIMITING OR
CLOSING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR COVID-19
•
Bear River Health Department is working closely
with our state and local
public health partners to develop guidelines for limiting community events and school
closure recommendations once COVID-19 begins to circulate in our
community. It has been determined that every effort to avoid closures will be
made and we will take into account the severity of disease, benefits to public health,
impact on student
learning, families, childcare, school staff and the economy.
•
Because most people with COVID-19 have mild disease, the likelihood that
Bear River Health Department will recommend closing
schools or limiting
public activities is extremely remote,
but not zero.
•
If such cancellations occur, it will be with the goal of
slowing the spread of the disease.
UTAH'S CORONAVIRUS
INFORMATION LINE
Utah's Public Health
System has initiated a Coronavirus Information Line, 1-800-456-7707,
made available to us through
the Utah Poison
Control Center.
It is staffed with
healthcare professionals whose focus is to answer questions, give status updates
and local advisories related to Coronavirus.
Thank you for your partnership. We welcome your questions or comments and hope you feel free to
contact us at 435-792-6500 or check online
at www.brhd.org for local
updates or www.cdc.gov for
national guidelines.
Bear River Health Department
John C. Bailey Building: 655 East 1300 North • Logan, UT 84341 • Phone: (435) 792-6500 • www.brhd.org
Serving Box Elder, Cache, and Rich Counties
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