The President's Coronavirus Guidelines for American

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Published on Thursday, 19 March 2020 10:17

15 DAYS TO SLOW THE SPREAD

Listen to and follow the directions of your STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

IF YOU FEEL SICK, stay home. Do not go to work. Contact your medical provider.

IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE SICK, keep them at home. Do not send them to school. Contact your medical provider.

IF SOMEONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD HAS TESTED POSITIVE for the coronavirus, keep the entire household at home. Do not go to work. Do not got to school. Contact your medical provider.

IF YOU ARE AN OLDER PERSON, stay home and away from other people.

IF YOU ARE A PERSON WITH A SERIOUS UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITION that can put you at increased risk (for example, a condition that impairs your lung or heart function or weakens your immune system), stay home and away from other people. 

DO YOUR PART TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS

Even if you are young, or otherwise healthy, you are at risk and your activities can increase the risk for others. It is critical that you do your part to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Work or engage in schooling FROM HOME whenever possible.

IF YOU WORK IN A CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule. You and your employers should follow CDC guidance to protect your health at work.

AVOID SOCIAL GATHERINGS in groups of more than 10 people.

Avoid eating or drinking at bars, restaurants, and food courts - USE DRIVE-THRU, PICKUP, OR DELIVERY OPTIONS.

AVOID DISCRETIONARY TRAVEL, shopping trips, and social visits.

DO NOT VISIT nursing homes or retirement or long-term care facilities unless to provide critical assistance.

PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE:

• Wash your hands, especially after touching any frequently used item or surface.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Sneeze or cough into a tissue, or the inside of your elbow.
• Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces as much as possible.

School operations can accelerate the spread of the coronavirus. Governors of states with evidence of community transmission should close schools in affected and surrounding areas. Governors should close schools in communities that are near areas of community transmission, even if those areas are in neighboring states. In addition, state and local officials should close schools where coronavirus has been identified in the population associated with the school. States and localities that close schools need to address childcare needs of critical responders, as well as the nutritional needs of children.

Older people are particularly at risk from the coronavirus. All states should follow Federal guidance and halt social visits to nursing homes and retirement and long-term care facilities.

In states with evidence of community transmission, bars, restaurants, food courts, gyms, and other indoor and outdoor venues where groups of people congregate should be closed.

For more information please go to coronavirus.gov.

15 Days to Slow the Spread

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Published on Wednesday, 18 March 2020 10:27

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Andrew County Health Department
106 North 5th Street
Savannah, MO  64485

Media inquiries contact Andrew Hoffman, Administrator at 816-324-3139

03/18/2020

15 Days to Slow the Spread

On Monday, President Trump outlined new guidance, encouraging citizens to engage in community and personal mitigation strategies for 15 days, in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.  The Andrew County Health Department would like to ask all citizens to take an active role in this response, helping to protect our community.

How can you help?  Consider taking the following actions.

1. Listen to and follow the directions of your state and local authorities.
2. If you fee sick, stay home.  Do not go to work.  Contact your medical provider if you need to be assessed.
3. If your child is sick, keep them home.  Contact your medical provider if needed.
4. If someone in your home tests positive for COVID-19, keep the entire household home.  Try to separate ill persons from health persons inside the home.
5. If you are an older person, stay home and away from other people.
6. If you are a person with a serious underlying health condition that can put you are increased risk.  Stay home.  Ask for family and neighbors to help bring you items that you need.
7. Work or engage in activities from home. Consider using online platforms to work, attend church, or interact with friends.
8. Avoid social gatherings in groups of 10 or more people.
9. Avoid eating or gathering at bars, restaurants, for food courts. You can still support local businesses by using drive-thru, pickup and delivery options.
10. Avoid unnecessary travel, such as for shopping trips or social visits.
11. Do not visit nursing homes unless you provide critical assistance.
12. Practice good hygiene, including frequent hand washing, avoid touching your face, covering your cough and sneeze, and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

Every member of our community can make a difference.  The Andrew County Health Department will continue to monitor the situation and provide timely updates. At this time, there are no cases of COVID-19 in Andrew county.  
Please continue to seek information from the CDC, at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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Covid-19 Press Release

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Published on Thursday, 12 March 2020 23:19

ANDREW COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT MONITOR COVID-19 SITUATION

The Andrew County Health Department is working with local, state and federal officials to monitor the evolution of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States and particularly in our region of the country. Currently, Missouri has only one confirmed COVID-19 case, in St. Louis and there are currently no cases in Andrew County.  There are currently a number is cases in neighboring states including Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa.

As local organizations and businesses review response plans given the possibility of an outbreak and its impact, the health department is encouraging all families to know what to do to avoid becoming ill, what to do it you become ill, and how best to prepare your household for potential disruptions to your home.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask:
• CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
• Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

For information about handwashing, see CDC’s Handwashing website https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/

These are everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses.

CDC does have specific guidance for travelers at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/novel-coronavirus-china.

If you are sick with COVID-19 or suspect you may be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, help prevent the disease from spreading to people in your home and community:

• Stay home except to get medical care.
• Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home.
• Call ahead before visiting your doctor.
• Wear a facemask when around others.
• Clean hands often.
• Avoid sharing personal household items such as cups, utensils, towels, etc.
• Clean all “high-touch” surfaces every day.
• Monitor symptoms
• Keep your medical providers informed.

Patients with confirmed COVID-19 should remain under home isolation precautions until the risk of secondary transmission to others is thought to be low, which will be determined case-by-case and follow the recommendations of your primary care provider and public health officials.

For up to date information please follow the Andrew County Health Department on Facebook at (https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Government-Organization/Andrew-County-Health-Department-347607032053194/).

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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3 Life-saving Steps

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Published on Wednesday, 04 March 2020 22:02

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission – News Release                                                                          

Release Date: March 4, 2020

Release Number: 20-084

Spring into Action by Adding Safety to Daylight Saving Time

3 life-saving steps you and your family should take

https://cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2020/Spring-into-Action-by-Adding-Safety-to-Daylight-Saving-Time

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On Sunday, March 8, consumers will turn their clocks forward one hour for Daylight Saving Time.  People may lose one hour of sleep, but they will gain daylight for activities.  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants you to spring into action by adding safety to your daylight saving time changeover.

“The change in time is a perfect opportunity to check and change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Bob Adler.  “And with the extra daylight, practice a fire escape plan.”

The 3 life-saving steps you and your family can take, CPSC explained:

1. Check smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms:  Check your alarms monthly.  If you do not have smoke and CO alarms, now is the time to buy them for your home and install them.  A smoke alarm should be on every level of your home, inside each bedroom, and outside sleeping areas.  CO alarms should also be placed on every level of your home, and outside sleeping areas.
2. Change the batteries: Batteries should be replaced in alarms, unless the alarms have sealed 10-year batteries.  Replace your smoke alarms if they are more than 10 years old.
3. Practice a fire escape plan: Make sure there are two ways out from each room and a clear path to outside from each exit.  Once out, stay out.

CPSC estimates that in 2016, there were about 352,000 residential structure fires, resulting in about 2,400 deaths, 10,400 injuries, and $6.36 billion in property damage.  

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in 2018, a home fire occurs at the rate of one every 87 seconds.  From 2012 to 2016, the NFPA estimated that almost three out of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no working smoke alarms.

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate more than 400 people die in the United States every year from CO poisoning.

Do more than just change your clocks, take the time for safety.

Daylight Savings Time video: https://youtu.be/oWXu-mrlCGo

For more information, visit CPSC.gov.

About U.S. CPSC: 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction.  Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals – contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.

Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.

For more lifesaving information, follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC or sign up to receive our e-mail alerts. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772 or teletypewriter at 301-595-7054 for the hearing impaired.

CPSC Consumer Information Hotline

Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall:

800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054)

Times: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime

Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.

Media Contact

Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests.

Phone: 301-504-7908

Spanish: 301-504-7800