Allegan County Health Department Statement on Coronavirus
With the latest statements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Allegan County’s Health Department has sent the following information regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) at the local level.
With the coronavirus in the news and a health concern globally, the Allegan County Health Department has reached out to school districts and municipalities to share information on a local level. Below is the information we received along with two attachments for additional guidelines and prevention information. If you have any questions, please call your county health officials. As a school district, we rely on our county health officials for updates on situations such as the coronavirus.
From the Allegan County Health Department:
As of February 26, 2020, there have been no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) reported in the State of Michigan and no persons currently under investigation in Allegan County. The Allegan County Health Department is closely following updates to the guidance issued by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The COVID-19 can be spread from person to person. At this time, there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and no medications approved to treat it. Older adults and people with chronic medical conditions may be at increased risk for severe disease. We encourage community partners, schools and municipalities to help prevent the spread of viruses such as the flu, common cold, and COVID-19 by promoting the preventative measures that all Allegan County residents can take:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. If not available, use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick. If you are sick, stay home and avoid contact with others.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
At this time, according to the CDC, the risk of COVID-19 infection or the spread of the virus in the U.S. is low. Individuals are still at a higher risk of getting the flu than COVID-19. Therefore, we encourage people to get their flu shot if they have not done so already.
The CDC is currently reporting fourteen confirmed cases nationwide as of February 26, 2020. To date, the following Travel Health Notices for COVID-19 have been issued for the following countries:
- Level 3 (avoid all nonessential travel): People’s Republic of China and South Korea
- Level 2 (practice enhanced precautions): Iran, Italy, and Japan
- Level 1 (practice usual precautions): Hong Kong
We have attached two documents that were also forwarded to us by the ACHD. (below)
Attached Files
COVID-19 Community-Members-FAQ 2.26.20.pdf
COVID-19 Local-Entity-FAQ 2.26.20.pdf
Published: February 28, 2020