Advice: Risk is low, listen to reputable sources on coronavirus

In the wake of growing concern over the coronavirus, members of the public are encouraged to stay informed, but remember the risk of infection is low.

Butler County health representatives met Thursday afternoon with members of the Missouri Hospital and Health Systems and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to discuss practices with concern over the coronavirus.

Six cases of the virus have been detected in the U.S. between four states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the first human-to-human contact within the U.S. yesterday, between a woman and her husband in Chicago.

Jackie Gatz, vice president of safety and preparedness with MHHS, said the risk of widespread outbreak is low based on the information available. The virus remains a rapidly changing situation.

“You don’t have to worry about it being the coronavirus unless you do meet the criteria (for possible infection),” said Laura Bennett, with infection prevention at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center.

These criteria include: travel to Wuhan, China within the past 14 days, or close contact with somebody who has.

“By close contact, that is somebody who lives in your household,” Bennett said. “It’s not somebody you pass in Walmart or you heard about somebody’s cousin. It’s somebody you have daily contact with.”

According to the CDC, the symptoms can include a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, fever and a general feeling of being unwell.

“If you develop that, please call your provider first,” Bennett said. “Please don’t just show up. If it’s an actual emergency, yes always show up to the ER or the VA urgent care. But that way (calling first) they can coordinate your care and have stuff in place before you show up to wherever they’re going to send you.”

All of these symptoms are similar to those people can experience with the flu. As such, Bennett emphasized the importance of people getting the flu shot.

Emily Galloway with the Butler County Health Department said flu shots for adults and children are still available at their office at 1619 N. Main St. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and walk-ins for the flu shot will be accepted.

For both the concern of coronavirus and as a general rule especially for the flu season, Bennett encouraged people to take proper safety measures. This means regular hand washing, covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough and staying home if you’re sick.

“Don’t touch your face,” she said.

Dr. Marcus Selvidge, director of infection prevention with the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, said people should be aware of the sources for their information about the infection. Reputable sources, he said, include the CDC and the Missouri Hospital and Health Systems.

“Not Facebook,” he said. “Things are going to be spreading across social media about this as we move forward. For their information, we ask that they don’t spread that stuff around because it will put everybody in a panic mode.”

Currently, 20 airports across the U.S. have additional screenings in place for flights from China. The St. Louis and Kansas City airports are not on the list.

Testing for the virus includes testing respiratory material, according to the World Health Organization, which can be taken either through a swab or spit sample. Results can take 24-48 hours, according to Paula Nickelson, administrator with the office of emergency coordination for DHSS. Currently only CDC labs are testing for the virus, but Nickelson said the state lab does expect to be able to run the testing once the CDC protocol and materials becomes available.

Galloway said many in the public don’t know that there are seven strains of the coronavirus and four of those are considered common.

“Just because you do test positive for coronavirus on a respiratory panel doesn’t mean its this novel strain,” she said. “It could be one of the common strains.”