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NACCHO Statement on Novel Coronavirus
Special to The Truth
The National Association of
County and City Health Officials, on behalf of the nation's
nearly 3,000 local governmental health departments, issued
the following statement in light to the ongoing novel
coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China.
As of this past weekend, there have been eight confirmed
cases in the U.S., with more than 100 people being monitored
for possible infection.
"As our global public health
system tracks and responds to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus
outbreak, local health departments are working with their
federal and state counterparts, along with health care
partners, to ensure that our communities are doing all they
can to prevent domestic transmission and prepare for
possible cases in their communities," said Dr. E. Oscar
Alleyne, DrPH, MPH, NACCHO's Chief of Programs and Services.
"Local health departments
are working with partners in their communities to protect
the public's health: they are communicating with
transportation officials on airport screenings, educating
healthcare providers about what to look for, facilitating
quick diagnosis of potential cases, and communicating with
the public about general best practices to reduce the spread
of infectious diseases.
"While the work of local
health departments often occurs in the background, events
like this highlight the importance of a strong public health
infrastructure and the critical role that the public health
workforce plays in keeping our communities healthy and safe.
"The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention continue to deem the current risk to
the general public as low, local health departments and
NACCHO will continue to engage with relevant partners to
ensure that all communities have the information and
resources they need."
How You Can Protect Yourself
and Others
While the immediate risk of
coronavirus to the American public may be low at this time,
it is still highly important to remain vigilant against the
spread of infectious diseases. It is peak flu season and the
CDC estimates that from October through mid-January, there
have been upwards of 21 million cases of flu illnesses and
anywhere between 8,200-20,000 deaths resulting from the flu.
The CDC recommends preventive measures to help mitigate the
spread of respiratory illnesses, including:
* Wash hands often with
soap and water for 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand
sanitizer
* Stay home when you
feel sick
* Get the flu vaccine
* Avoid touching body
orifices like eyes, mouth, and nose with unwashed hands
* Properly cover your
sneeze and cough, and dispose used tissue in the appropriate
trash receptacles
* Frequently disinfect
objects and surfaces; and
* Avoid close contact
with those who are sick.
About NACCHO
The National Association of
County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the
nation's nearly 3,000 local health departments. These city,
county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work
every day to protect and promote health and well-being for
all people in their communities. For more information about
NACCHO, please visit www.naccho.org<http://www.naccho.org>.
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