Coronavirus: Local reaction gaining strength, causing shortages
The World Health Organization has officially declared the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, a pandemic, meaning it has spread over a large region — in this case, over much of the world.
On March 11, President Donald Trump announced further travel restrictions from other countries to the United Sates. He has signed into law $8.3 billion for research to battle COVID-19 and is asking Congress for over $200 billion more to help people and businesses affected by the virus.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has assembled a task force to address the coronavirus.
Fear of COVID-19 gained some celebrity status when actor Tom Hanks announced on Instagram on March 11 that he and his wife, Rita Wilson, have been diagnosed with the virus. The couple is in Australia working on a film.
Schools have closed in many cities and even whole countries, major events have been canceled, amusement parks have shut down, musicians have canceled concert tours.
NPR reported that Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft have all urged employees in their Seattle offices to work from home. Washington has been the hardest hit of all U.S. states thus far, with 267 reported cases of coronavirus as of March 11, according to the Centers for
Disease Control.
The University of Tennessee has canceled in-person classes temporarily and is offering online classes only after spring break.
Workplaces like Amazon, Walmart and Lowe’s Home Improvement are offering paid sick leave for hourly employees who come down with the coronavirus — often two weeks, with the possibility of more.
Catoosa, Walker and Chickamauga schools all have information on their websites about how to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Catoosa County school system has posted on its website a letter from Superintendent Denia Reese about COVID-19, and Reese says there is a plan in place for continuing CCPS children’s schooling .
Steve Quinn, director of Catoosa County 911 and Catoosa County Emergency Management Agency, says he has been working on a task force to develop a “unified message” for informing local government and residents about the coronavirus and what to do to prevent its spread. Quinn is in communication with officials at the county and city levels. He recently spoke on the subject at a Fort Oglethorpe City Council meeting.
What does the new pandemic status of COVID-19 mean for folks in our corner of Georgia, an area that has hardly been touched by the virus? The Georgia Department of Public Health says the risk for Georgians is low. But more and more people are taking precautions. Just ask local stores.
Dollar Tree and Walmart stores in Catoosa and Walker counties are running out of hand sanitizer, face masks, disinfectant spray, bleach, toilet tissue and paper towels, as customers are learning when they go in search of such items.
One customer at a local Dollar General said she was shocked to find the store out of many items she routinely buys for her Airbnb rentals. “They had no hand sanitizer, almost no bleach and their Clorox wipes were behind the registers and limited to one per customer.”
Lowe’s of Fort Oglethorpe, says an employee, is out of facemasks and hand sanitizer and is limiting purchases of some sanitizing products.
The manager of a local Dollar Tree said hand sanitizer has been stolen from the store’s restroom.
Some stores are posting instructions on bulletin boards for making homemade hand sanitizer.
One Walmart employee says she’s heard people talking about making their own facemasks from toilet paper and paper towels. “People don’t think about how fast their breath would make a mask like that wet and useless,” she says.
According to the GDPH, as of March 10, there were six confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state and another 11 “presumptive positive” cases awaiting confirmation.
As of March 12, there were three confirmed cases in Fulton County, one in Floyd County, one in Polk County and one in Cobb County. Presumptive positive cases were in Fulton, Cobb, Fayette, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Cherokee counties.
“The overall risk of COVID-19 to the general public remains low,” says GDPH, “although elderly people and individuals with chronic medical conditions may be have increased risk for COVID-19.”
According to GDPH, the best prevention measures for any respiratory virus are:
♦ Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
♦ If soap and water are not available, use an alcoholbased hand sanitizer.
♦ Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
♦ Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
♦ 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.
For those who have traveled recently to areas where there are ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19:
♦ If you develop fever with cough and shortness of breath within 14 days of your travel, or if you have had contact with someone who is suspected to have COVID-19, stay home and call your health care provider or local health department right away.
♦ Be sure to call before going to a doctor’s office, emergency room, or urgent care center and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
To learn more about the coronavirus and how to protest yourself and your loved ones, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus.