County DOH: Coronavirus risk locally is low
The Columbia County Department of Health released a statement Wednesday concerning the novel coronavirus outbreak.
“The Columbia County Department of Health is actively monitoring for potential cases of coronavirus and is taking precautions to limit the impact if the virus is found in Columbia County,” according to the health department.
Screening protocols are in place and guidance has been established for both health care providers and the general public, the health department said.
As of Friday, no one has been tested at Columbia Memorial Health facilities.
“There are specific criteria for when to test individuals for the virus. No one has met the criteria, therefore no one has needed to be tested,” Columbia Memorial Health spokesman Bill Van Slyke said.
The CDC has established exposure risk categories to help guide optimal public health management of people following potential exposure to the virus. The county health department classifies the county’s risk as low at this time, due to the key risk of travel history.
Van Slyke agrees that the risk is low in Columbia County.
“The Columbia County Department of Health is committed to active monitoring of the novel coronavirus and adapting protocols and guidance as needed for health care providers and the general public as we continue to learn about this new virus,” said Columbia County Public Health Director Jack Mabb on Friday.
As of Wednesday, 11 people have tested positive for the virus in the United States. While 206 have been tested and found negative, an additional 76 are pending. These people are in Washington, California, Arizona, Illinois and Massachusetts, the Centers for Disease Control said.
According to the statement, a key factor with the coronavirus is a travel history to China within the last two weeks.
At this time, more people have been infected and died from the flu than the coronavirus, the Columbia County Health Department said Wednesday.
“This is also an opportunity to remind people that we are in the flu season, and the flu is prevalent right now, so frequent handwashing, staying home when sick and seeing your primary care provider if an illness persists are all good ideas,” Van Slyke said.
The Columbia County Health Department likened the prevention and mitigation principles for coronavirus to the flu and recommends frequent hand washing, coughing or sneezing into elbows, keeping a 6-foot distance from sick individuals, limiting large gatherings and staying home if sick.
The CDC has developed a laboratory test kit for coronavirus. The test, which will employ upper and lower respiratory specimens collected from potentially infected persons, is being sent to laboratories across the United States and internationally that the CDC has designated as qualified.
An Emergency Use Authorization package to the Food and Drug Administration has been submitted to expedite the process to enable the use of unapproved medical and diagnostic products during a public health emergency. There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for coronavirus.
More than 31,000 people have been infected worldwide with at least 638 deaths being blamed on the virus. This includes one of the first doctors to bring forward concerns about the outbreak in China.
More information and prevention practices can be found on the Columbia County Department of Health’s website (https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com/news/novel-coronavirus-update/) and at the Centers for Disease Control’s website (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/clinical-criteria.html).
