’It’s only a matter of time.’ SLO County urges coronavirus precautions as outbreak spreads
There are currently no confirmed cases of coronavirus in San Luis Obispo County — but that doesn’t mean there won’t ever be.
In a news release Monday evening, San Luis Obispo County Public Health Officer Penny Borenstein said given the rise in the number of cases around the state, “it’s only a matter of time before our county has a case as well.”
In response, the department has updated its recommendations for how everyone can prepare for and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Chief among the recommendations? Stay calm.
“While concern, precaution and preparedness are good for us, panic is not,” Borenstein said in the release. “We need to all work together to keep our community safe and healthy.”
Make plans for ‘social distancing’
The department is recommending businesses and organizations create or update plans for “social distancing” to “reduce the frequency of contact and increase physical distance between persons.”
According to the release, this could include school dismissals, event cancellations and creating employee policies and plans to work remotely. (Important: The agency is not recommending school closures at this time.)
The plans don’t have to go into effect immediately, according to the release, but instead should be up-to-date and ready to implement in the event of a local outbreak.
For businesses this could mean identifying workers who could work from home. Event organizers should consider how to change or cancel mass gatherings if an outbreak occurs. Long-term care facilities should review infection procedures and update plans to protect medically fragile residents. Schools and childcare facilities should be talking with parents about the possibility of temporary closures. Primary care providers should be ready to communicate with patients remotely, and religious leaders should consider broadcasting or live-streaming services so congregants can view services from home.
High-risk patients
The health department is advising high-risk patients to begin preparing for coronavirus now.
This includes people age 60 and over and those with serious chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, lung disease and weakened immune systems, according to the release.
People who fit this description should take extra measures to distance themselves from others in the event of an outbreak.
This includes:
- Stay home as much as possible. Avoid close contact with people who appear sick. Consider ways of getting food brought to your house through family, social or commercial networks. Have supplies of medications on hand. Contact your healthcare provider to ask about obtaining extra necessary medications in case there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in your community and you need to stay home for a prolonged period of time. Consider using mail-order for medications.
- Take everyday precautions. Clean your hands often. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, or having been in a public place. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. To the extent possible, avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places — elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something. Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places. Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc. Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Your risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick.
- Have a plan in the event you get sick. Consult with your health care provider for more information about monitoring your health for symptoms suggestive of COVID-19. Stay in touch with others by phone or email. Determine who can provide you with care if your caregiver gets sick.
Other precautions to take
The Public Health Department is still urging everyone to remain calm. It also notes the use of masks is not recommended and there is no need to stockpile household goods beyond the usual three-day supply recommended for emergencies.
The department also advised people to avoid the emergency room unless they are sick enough to need immediate care. According to the release, hospitals are already experience a high volume of patients for the regular flu as well as those concerned about coronavirus.
If you have not already done so, the department is also urging everyone who can to get a flu shot.
For more information on precautions or on the county’s response to the virus, visit www.ReadySLO.org.
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