The Callaway County Health Department hosted the first of a series of meetings on the novel coronavirus Friday.
According to the health department's Kent Wood, these meetings will continue weekly to ensure the most accurate information gets dispersed to the community.
"We want to make sure there's not a social media spin - we're not walking around out here in moon suits," he said.
Those in attendance Friday included members of Callaway County's Medical Reserve Corps and representatives from Fulton Public Schools, Westminster College, William Woods University, Fulton Medical Center, Central Missouri Community Action, SERVE, the Fulton and New Bloomfield Fire Departments, the cities of Fulton and New Bloomfield, and Callaway County employees.
The novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has infected more than 100,000 people worldwide, and about 400 cases have been confirmed in North America. In the U.S., several cases are in neighboring Illinois.
Coronaviruses make up a large family of viruses. Those that can infect humans range in severity from mild (causing a common cold) to potentially fatal. This particular coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Early infections are thought to be linked to live animal markets, but the disease is now spreading from person to person.
In about 80 percent of cases, the symptoms are mild (cold- or flu-like), but it causes severe respiratory illness or even death in some. Fatalities are highest among the elderly and otherwise immune-compromised and lowest among children.
"More people have been taken off this earth this year due to the common flu than from coronavirus," Wood pointed out.
However, it appears a higher percentage of people who contact COVID-19 die from the disease, as compared to the flu, based on CDC figures.
Part of the difficulty in detecting COVID-19 is its symptoms perfectly overlap with those of the flu, Wood said. They include coughing, fever and shortness of breath. A test has been developed to detect COVID-19, though its availability is still limited (learn more here: bit.ly/2InmUhw).
Preparation efforts continue throughout Callaway County, including at Fulton's two colleges.
Venita Mitchell, WWU's vice president and dean of student life, said the college has put together a preparedness team that has met twice so far. Though WWU's students are currently away on spring break, the college has been posting COVID-19-related notices on its website and plans to ramp up education on preventative measures as students return.
Westminster College is currently in session, though students will leave for spring break soon. The college's nurse practitioner, Kim Lorentz, said so far no college-organized spring break trips have been affected by the disease.
"We're monitoring the CDC website on a daily basis screening for people who've traveled, enforcing hand washing," Lorentz said, counting off several other CDC recommendations.
As Wood pointed out, places where large numbers of people are gathered - whether that's a church, school, jail or office - are places where diseases spread most rapidly.
He repeated the CDC's current guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19:
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, scrubbing your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds and making sure to clean cuticles and between fingers. The health department will soon receive signs with instructions for proper hand-washing technique, which will be available upon request.
Stand at least 6 feet away from people who are showing symptoms, such as coughing or sneezing.
Wipe down frequently touched surfaces using a virus-killing disinfectant. That should include doorknobs, surfaces in shared cars and cellphones, among others.
Send sick people home from work, and if you're sick, stay home yourself. Make sure to cough into your shoulder or elbow, rather than the air or your hands.
Lastly, Wood said anyone who suspects they might have COVID-19 should call the Callaway County Health Department before going to the doctor's office, urgent care or the emergency room. Health department employees can help direct you to a health care facility that has an isolation room and test kit available. The health department can be reached at 573-642-6881.