It’s time to prepare for a coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., CDC says. Here’s how
It’s time for Americans to prepare for an outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
The virus was first identified in Wuhan, China and has spread across the globe, including to the United States and 31 other countries.
“The data over the last week, and the spread in other countries, has certainly raised our level of concern and raised our level of expectation of community spread,” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases in a briefing on Tuesday.
It’s heightened action in Stanislaus County and local school districts.
As of Feb. 25, 57 people in the U.S., including 39 people returning from Asia, have the disease, abbreviated to COVID-19, caused by the coronavirus 2019.
Person-to-person spread, primarily through respiratory transmission, of the coronavirus has occurred, which makes containment more challenging.
Although there have not been community outbreaks of the infection in the states, on Tuesday, the CDC warned that Americans should start getting prepared.
Messonnier said the agency is employing a dual approach, working to contain the virus while also implementing strategies to lessen the impacts on communities. However, she noted that individuals, schools and businesses should prepare for possible disruptions.
“The containment strategies, such as the travel monitoring, have slowed down the spread and bought us time to prepare,” said Dr. Julie Vaishampayan, public health officer of Stanislaus County Health Services agency. “But now we need to switch to concentrating on community mitigation.”
In Stanislaus County, Modesto City School District, Turlock Unified School District and Ceres Unified School District reported via email that they are following preparedness plans from the California Department of Public Health, as well as updates from county public health and the CDC.
CDC Recommendations
During Tuesday’s briefing, Messonnier discussed mitigation efforts, including the use of non-pharmaceutical interventions or NPIs, which are in three categories:
- Personal — personal protective measures for every day, such as cough and hand hygiene practices routinely used to decrease your chance of getting influenza
- Community — including social distancing measures designed to keep sick people from others, including school closures
- Environmental — including surface cleaning
Recommendations for preparedness
For individuals:
- Make it routine to practice precautions for infection control and prevention, including staying home when ill and using respiratory and hand hygiene
- Educate yourself and family members about resources that may be needed, for example, post contact information for health care provider and local public health agency
- Have a family emergency plan in place should an outbreak occur, including plans with your job, such as the option to work at home due to illness
“Be sure your emergency kit is up to date, just as you would for a fire or natural disaster,” said Vaishampayan.
She said consider adding items for symptomatic relief of respiratory symptoms such as tissues, decongestants and fever medications.
She does not recommend routine use of surgical masks for people who are well.
“The benefit of a mask is source control,” said Vaishampayan, “If you’re well, the mask doesn’t protect you.”
“If you’re ill, first stay home,” said Vaishampayan, “But if you have to go around others, a mask may help.”
She said for people who aren’t sick, the mask may help you from putting virus from your hands to your mouth and nose, if they’re covered. She said other physical barriers, such as a scarf, can do the same thing.
The American Red Cross provides a checklist of supplies for preparing a kit.
If you or a household member becomes ill:
- Separate the ill person from other people and animals in your home
- Call ahead before visiting the doctor, to help minimize exposure to others
- Wear a face mask when around others
- Avoid sharing personal household items
- Clean all “high-touch” surfaces everyday or sooner if visibly soiled
- Monitor symptoms and seek medical care if they worsen, such as difficulty breathing
- Practicing respiratory and hand hygiene is even more important
For schools, business and communities:
- If a sick employee arrives at work, separate them and send them home promptly
- Emphasize, and encourage, staying home when sick, as well as respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene by all employees
- Perform routine environmental cleaning
- Advise employees before traveling to take certain steps
The CDC encourages organizations to develop plans now should an outbreak occur. They emphasized as this is an evolving situation; business should ensure their plans are flexible and that employees should be involved developing and reviewing them.
The CDC has deployed some of their health officers to communities nationwide to assist with local preparedness. They are working with first responders, health care providers, professional medical organizations and health care systems to have plans and supplies in place in case they’re needed.
In addition, the CDC is working directly with local and state public health officials to ensure rapid testing of individuals suspected of having the coronavirus, as well as preparing community mitigation should an outbreak occur.
Typical symptoms
COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath, which are similar to those of influenza and many other common respiratory viruses. This makes telling the illnesses apart difficult.
The spectrum of COVID-19 ranges from mild, similar to a “common cold,” to severe, including death. The incubation period appears to range from 2 to 14 days. However, public health officials emphasize that we are still learning about the characteristics of this novel virus.
Individuals who are older or have underlying health conditions have higher risk of severe disease with COVID-19.
Public health officials encourage everyone older than 6 months to be sure they receive the influenza vaccine and to keep all vaccines up to date.
COVID-19 has not been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, though this may be revised in coming days.
Messonnier said that COVID-19 has met two of the three criteria for being declared a pandemic, including causes death and sustained person-to-person spread. The third criterion, worldwide spread, seems to be looming.
“We don’t have the cases here, so the risk is low, but it’s time to prepare,” said Dr. Vaishampayan.
This story was produced with financial support from The Stanislaus County Office of Education and the Stanislaus Community Foundation, along with the GroundTruth Project’s Report for America initiative. The Modesto Bee maintains full editorial control of this work.
This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 1:19 PM.
