Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak
Updated: Dec 9, 2021
There is a lot of information about COVID-19 and we are dedicated to keeping you up to date! The latest national situation summary and updates are always available on the CDC's COVID-19 dedicated web page.
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About COVID-19
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. There are ongoing investigations to learn more.
Symptoms:
According to the CDC, reported illnesses have ranged from none or very mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed COVID-19 cases.
The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.
**This list does not include all possible symptoms. The list will be updated as more is known.**
SEEK EMERGENCY MEDICAL ATTENTION IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS EXPERIENCING...
Trouble breathing
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
New confusion
Inability to wake or stay awake
Bluish lips or face
**This list does not include all possible immediate-need symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.**
Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: Notify the operator that you are seeking care for yourself or someone else who has or may have COVID-19.
Transmission:
COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person to person, including between people who are physically near each other (within about 6 feet). People who are infected but do not show symptoms can also spread the virus to others. Cases of reinfection with COVID-19 have been reported but are rare. We are still learning about how the virus spreads and the severity of illness it causes.
Current CDC Information on How COVID-19 Spreads
Preventing the Spread of COVID-19
**Vaccine research is currently being conducted, but no vaccine is available yet. CLICK HERE to see the most up to date national vaccine information.**
The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to this virus. To do this, the CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
Wash your hands often...
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
It’s especially important to wash:
BEFORE eating or preparing food or touching your face.
AFTER using the restroom, leaving a public place, blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, handling your mask, changing a diaper, caring for someone sick, or touching animals or pets.
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. CLICK HERE for the FDA's list of hand sanitizers deemed ineffective, potentially toxic, and/or that have been officially recalled.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact...
Inside your home: Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.
Outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.
Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.
Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others...
Masks help prevent you from getting or spreading the virus.
You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
Everyone should wear a mask in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
Masks should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The mask is not a substitute for social distancing.
Cover coughs and sneezes...
Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.
Throw used tissues in the trash.
Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Clean and disinfect...
Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
Then, use a household disinfectant. Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work.
Monitor your health daily...
Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
Especially important if you are running essential errands, going into the office or workplace, and in settings where it may be difficult to keep a physical distance of 6 feet.
Take your temperature if symptoms develop.
Don’t take your temperature within 30 minutes of exercising or after taking medications that could lower your temperature, like acetaminophen.
Follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.
Social Distance vs. Isolation vs. Quarantine
Social Distance:
Social distancing, also called “physical distancing,” means keeping a safe space between yourself and other people who are not from your household. To practice social or physical distancing, stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces. Social distancing should be practiced in combination with the preventive actions listed above to reduce the spread of COVID-19. CLICK HERE for more on social distancing.
Quarantine:
Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department. CLICK HERE for more on quarantining.
Isolation:
Isolation keeps someone who is infected with the virus away from others, even in their home. People who are in isolation should stay home until it’s deemed safe for them to be around others. In the home, anyone sick or infected should separate themselves from others by staying in a specific “sick room” or area and using a separate bathroom (if available). CLICK HERE for more on isolation.