Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Cornonavirus (COVID-19)
Posted on 02/27/2020

RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE FOR THE PUBLIC  

An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and has now been detected in 37 locations internationally, including cases in the United States. On January 30, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global health emergency.   On January 31, 2020, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency (PHE) for the United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to novel coronavirus COVID-19.

Public Health providers understand there are concerns about novel coronavirus COVID-19, and understandably so. Although coronaviruses are a group of viruses that are not new, this is a new type of coronavirus.  Public Health Officials are still learning about the disease; however, the health risk to the general public in California remains low.

If you are not in an area where novel coronavirus COVID-19 is spreading, or if you have not traveled from one of those areas, your chances of getting it are currently low. However, it is understandable that you may feel stressed and anxious about the situation. It is recommended to get the facts to help you determine your risks so that you can take reasonable precautions. The following links to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and World Health Organization (WHO) are all potential sources of accurate information on the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and whether it is in your area. It is important to be informed of the situation where you live and take appropriate measures to protect yourself.  Although for most people the novel coronavirus COVID-19 causes only mild illness, it can make some people very ill.  More rarely, the disease can be fatal. Older people and those with preexisting medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes) appear to be more vulnerable.  

Information links:

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

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public