Image courtesy of CDC.gov

To ensure the safety of the residents of Lenoir and surrounding counties, community partnerships are working together to educate and provide guidance surrounding COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus.

Lenoir County Health Department receives daily situation updates about COVID-19 from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and has held weekly calls for over a month with state and local health officials.

The CDC is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus. The outbreak first started in Wuhan, China, but cases have been identified in a growing number of other international locations, including the United States.

“There is a robust system in place to monitor travelers from places identified to have the virus,” said Pamela Brown of the Lenoir County Health Department.

Using similar strategies as in 2009 and 2010 for the H1N1 virus, the Lenoir County Health Department is working with local providers, city and county administration, and state officials to ensure open lines of communication.

“There are several strains of coronavirus, the one causing the most concern at this time is known as COVID-19. It originated in China and carries a 2-3% case-fatality rate. As of February 27, the CDC has confirmed 14 cases in the US, 12 of which were related to travel. The vast majority of these cases remain in Wuhan, China where quarantine remains in effect. At this time the virus has not reached levels of concern in the US,” said Ashley Self, DO, a provider from Kinston Community Health Center.

Lenoir County Public Schools is developing a plan they hope to have on their website later in the week that stresses preventative techniques. Additional measures the school system is taking is to provide information on their district website to the parents and community members on how to keep themselves and their students healthy.

“We need to be proactive as we are in an environment where young people cluster together,” said Patrick Holmes, Lenoir County Public Schools.

The school system is practicing the same preventative measures to combat the outbreak of the flu, which poses a more immediate risk to the students.

Listed below are the preventative measures from the CDC website.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, the CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Stay home when you are sick.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

• Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.

  • CDC does not recommend that people who are well to wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.

  • Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.