Coronavirus Update 3/15/20

Please see below the latest update regarding information and guidance for residents regardinf the Coronavirus outbreak.

UPDATE MARCH 15, 2020

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced that Massachusetts 2-1-1 will now provide real-time COVID-19 information, resources, and referrals in multiple languages.

Beginning today, residents can call 2-1-1 to learn more about:

COVID-19 prevention, symptoms, and treatment

Information about testing

Guidance for people planning or returning from travel

Massachusetts 2-1-1 is open to callers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Operators fluent in Spanish are available, and more than 150 other languages are supported through an interpreter services line that is available 24/7.

Residents with questions should dial 2-1-1 from any landline or cellphone. Callers dialing 2-1-1 will hear an automated menu of options. Callers press 2-6 for coronavirus. Residents can also reach 2-1-1 through a live chat option on the Massachusetts 2-1-1 website.

COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that’s spreading from China throughout the world: You’ve heard about it; you’re concerned about it. Here are some things you need to know.

1. We’re on it.

Your Board of Health is the local end of a chain that starts with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and goes through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Mohawk Area Public Health Coalition (MAPHCO) down to us. At every link in this chain emergency response plans are being updated and supplies and equipment are being marshaled.

In this rapidly evolving situation, an important part of our job is to keep you informed of the risks and the proper precautions you can take. You can also get updates, and more information on the virus itself, on these websites:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

mass.gov/guides/information-on-the-outbreak-of-2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19

2. Understand the risk.

We are committed to offering realistic professional guidance. Yes, as of this writing, in early March 2020, the risk of infection in our area is low. But we can’t count on its staying low. It’s entirely possible that we’ll see cases of COVID-19 in our community. We’re the lucky ones; we have time to get ready.

3. Things you can do to prepare.

There are basic precautions that everyone can easily take to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 — or flu. Let’s face it, the world is a germy place, and you pick up those germs on your hands and carry them into your body by touching your eyes, nose, mouth, or food.

• Wash your hands with soap and water frequently for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer. Use those sanitary wipes at the door of the supermarket to clean the shopping cart handle; use a paper towel to open the door of the restroom door when you leave.
• Keep your hands away from your face.
• Be considerate of others! Cover your cough or sneeze, ideally with a tissue, and throw away the tissue. Then wash your hands. If you really have to use your sleeve instead of a tissue, don’t then put your hands on your wet sleeve.

To learn more about ways you can help yourself, visit cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/personal/index.html

And finally, start thinking about being prepared for any kind of emergency, from an infectious disease outbreak to an ice storm. You can get started by visiting www.ready.gov.

Posted: to Board of Health on Fri, Mar 13, 2020
Updated: Fri, Mar 20, 2020