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Message from the Doddridge County Health Department

Message from the Doddridge County Health Department

BY: Debbi Davis, Director

EVERYONE HAS TO COMPLY WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO AVOID CORONAVIRUS. IF NOT VERY SOON WE ARE LIKELY TO START LOSING FRIENDS OR LOVED ONES TO THIS DISEASE. THE THREAT IS REAL! THE TIME IS NOW!

This is a critical time in controlling the spread of the coronavirus in our community. Within the next two weeks if people do not comply with all the means of prevention which include frequent 20 second handwashing and social distancIng as primary methods- we will see sickness and likelydeaths here in our county and community.

Your friends, family, maybe even you will become ill and run the risk of complications which can occur. Hospitals will fill up reaching theircapacity locally and you will see happen here what has happened in other places such as New York and Italy.It could happen within the next two weeks if cases start multiplying as it is predicted they will. UNLESS WE STOP IT!

SELF- ISOLATION is recommended for older adults over 60, chil- dren, or those with underlying health conditions. These people should stay home. This is difficult but the situation won’t last forever. It is also recommended, which is also difficult, to temporarily not visit vulnerablegrandparents and not have family gatherings until this threat subsides. Wouldn’t it be easier to not see these people right now and them live so you can spend the rest of your lives with them?

SOCIAL DISTANCING must be exercised to protect you and your loved ones. This means not getting together with people outside your own home and if you have to go to the doctor, pharmacy, or grocery store keep AT LEAST 6 FEET DISTANCE between you and the other person. Whyis this necessary? Because this virus is spread by droplet spread in to the air when a person sneezes or coughs. The virus continues to be in the aireven hours after the person who was spreading the virus left the room. The virus lives on surfaces such as metal or plastic when a person touches those surfaces up to days, it has been detectable on cardboard up to 24 hours later. Surfaces need cleaned frequently with a disinfectant and youmuch wash, wash, wash your hands for 20 seconds everytime you touch a surface someone else has touched.

TELEWORK anyone who has the ability to work from home should do that. If you must go to work adhere to the 6 feet social distancing rule. FOOD AND SUPPLIES You should exercise caution when you have to go to the grocery store and when you go stock up on items your family will need the next couple of weeks. Be considerate of other people’s needs

for supplies also. Don’t hoard food or supplies.
TESTING – Suppy is low on these items. More are being produced.

Health officials are asking if you do get the flu isolate at home and care for yourself as you would any flu. Testing is not essential for healthy adults with no underlying conditions. Statistics say those people will likely re- cover and can be treated at home. However, anyone who develops more difficulty breathing, increased pain in chest, severe chest congestion, or a high fever that won’t come down should seek medical attention. You would then need to be tested for COVID-19 so that medical professionals would know how to properly treat you.

Medical equipment and personal protective equipment for our health- care workers are in short supply. Officials are working to try and get more supplies but if the numbers of sick people rise quickly there will not be enough ventilators, critical care beds, even medical staff to care for high numbers of patients at the same time.

PLEASE TAKE THE ADVICE OF HEALTH OFFICIALS SERIOUS- LY AND EXERCISE CAUTION TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THIS PANDEMIC SITUATION. IT COULD BE YOUR LIFE OR THE LIFE OF A LOVED ONE THAT YOU SAVE BY DOING SO.

If you have any questions about coronavirus or think you might need tested call the Health Department at 304-873-1531 and we can have you answer some questions to see if you qualify and let you know where you can go to get that testing.