As the number of Iowans affected by the novel coronavirus 2019 continues to grow, the Iowa Department of Public Health has kept busy with trying to mitigate its effect.
In Dallas County, where there have been a few confirmed cases of COVID-19, Health Navigator and Public Information Officer Ann Cochran with the Health Department says their focus has been facilitating communication between the medical community and state and local officials. Cochran says Public Health frequently trains for situations like epidemics, so she feels like they’ve been able to get out ahead of the problem and respond accordingly. That said, she’s unsure of the timeline for when the coronavirus threat will diminish.
“Because it’s a novel virus, so meaning we’ve never had this one before, we cannot predict exactly what the tract will be on that. The experts that we are listening to are saying it’s probably going to last a while longer. And one of the things that we can do to reduce the number of people impacted is to refrain from mixing among one another. The more we self-isolate, the less chances are that it will affect the entire population.”
Cochran advises people to continue exercising social distancing and stay at home when sick, wash their hands frequently, cough or sneeze into tissues or their sleeve, and sanitize things they frequently handle. For more tips on dealing with or preventing COVID-19, click the links below to visit the Centers for Disease Control and IDPH websites. You can also call 2-1-1 for general information.