DATE:             February 23, 2020                                                     TIME:  4:30 PM

CONTACT :   ema@cityofgadsden.com                                         256.549.4575 (Office)

 

Take Proactive Steps

 

The potential of Coronavirus patients being housed nearby promoted a move by the Gadsden/Etowah County Emergency Management Agency over the weekend.  We took proactive steps to ensure that we were as prepared as possible to support our neighboring partners and still respond to any of our own county wide concerns. “Due to the widespread nature of this year’s seasonal flu and the fact that flu season is not over,” said Director Deborah Gaither, “we viewed this news as an opportunity to review previously written plans and stress the importance of proper personal hygiene in preventing any disease spread.”

 

Alabama Department of Public Health and the Center for Disease Control recommend the following guidelines for minimizing the spread of most germs:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
  • Stay home from work, school, and errands, when you are sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
  • Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

 

Here is a link to the latest Influenza Newsletter:

http://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/influenza/assets/influenza_newsletter_201808.pdf

 

Another reminder, Northeast Alabama remains under a Hepatitis “A” Outbreak, since March of 2019.  Etowah County remains listed in the January 2020 report.  You can visit the following link to learn more on this topic http://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/immunization/assets/HepatitisAoutbreakreport.pdf

 

It is a good time to remind everyone that our county could always be in the midst of a public health emergency. Taking personal proactive steps, like those listed above, goes a long way towards minimizing individual risk or illness transmission.

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