Frequently Asked Questions

The following is the latest information available from the nation’s leading health sources which we are tracking daily to keep you informed. It is important that you also refer to the links contained in this report for additional facts.

We encourage you to seek out and depend on these reliable sources to avoid information that is not confirmed or inaccurate information online.

I feel sick and am not sure whether it is from the Coronavirus. Can I get tested?

1. Call your physician first and discuss your symptoms. Your doctor will direct you.
2. If you have no primary care doctor, contact your local Health Department and they can direct you to the appropriate people to discuss testing. (See CDC page )
3. If your symptoms are more critical and you need medical attention right away, call 911.

I live in a house with other people. What if one of them or myself become sick with symptoms? What can we do?

1. The CDC advises that people who have symptoms that may be associated with the Coronavirus wear a facemask.
2. Cover your face if you sneeze or cough. And if you are using tissues, throw them away in a lined trash can. Do not place used tissues on surfaces others may touch.
3. Immediately wash your hands for at least 20-seconds using soap and very warm water. For children, this means singing the Happy Birthday song twice.
4. Also, wash your hands before you prepare any food and make sure that utensils and surfaces are being washed in soapy water or sanitized thoroughly before you use them.
5. Sanitize any area where family members come in contact with blood, stool or other body fluids.
6. Wipe with sanitizing cleaners as directed any surfaces in the kitchen, bathroom or common areas where you and others share. Do this daily or more frequently.
7. If you are using a hand sanitizer, be sure it contains at least 60% alcohol.
8. If you are using a spray disinfectant to clean areas of your home, follow the instructions on the can or container. More sprays recommend that you let the surface air dry on its own. Do not spray and immediately wipe the surface. Doing so lessens the effectiveness of the disinfectant.
9. Do not share towels, bedding, cups or utensils with others UNLESS these items are thoroughly washed or cleaned between uses. Water alone is not sufficient.

If I am sick, can I go to work or have others visit me?

1. The directions from the CDC are very clear. If you have symptoms and suspect you have the Coronavirus, you should stay home except for going out to get medical care.
2. Officials say the same applies to visitors coming to see you. Stay away from other people and even your pets as much as possible.
3. DO NOT USE public transportation of any type including ride sharing or taxis that expose you or others to shared spaces or surfaces.
4. AVOID PUBLIC SPACES including work, schools or any meeting locations including places of worship where groups of people gather.
5. Remember, even items delivered to your home may require their surfaces to be wiped with a disinfectant or spray because you do not know if the courier is healthy. Open mail only on surfaces that can clean thoroughly afterward and dispose of envelopes in a lined trash can.

What if I MUST go out and I am not sure whether I am sick?

1. Stay away from others including in elevators. Ride alone if possible.
2. Wear a face mask.
3. Carry wipes and clean surfaces you touch.
4. Carry sanitizer to cleanse your hands. (Excessive use of sanitizer does carry its own risks of skin irritation and weakening you own antibodies so use it only when necessary.
5. Assume everything you touch has been touched by someone else who is sick. So wipe as you go.
6. If you are driving, wipe the steering wheel, shift area or center console.
7. AVOID TOUCHING YOUR FACE until you can thoroughly wash your hands with soap and very warm or hot water for at least 20 seconds.
8. If you are entering a hospital, health clinic or pharmacy, be aware other people in that environment are likely sick so limit your time in these facilities and avoid magazines, surfaces and items you do not need to handle.
9. Use common sense and your own personal judgement. Food handlers, restaurants and even food take out locations come in contact with many people in the course of their shift or day. Consider bringing food from home in sealed containers and eating on surfaces covered with a napkin after you have wiped the area. This was stated in a Press Conference by Anthony Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
10. Your cellphone can also carry the Coronavirus so use disinfectant wipes to clean it frequently and avoid placing it on common surfaces. Use the speaker or earbuds to avoid having the cellphone surface touch your face. Click here for further information

Who is most at risk to become sick from the Coronavirus?

1. Everyone at present is susceptible and there is no vaccine yet.
2. Pregnant women.
3. Children.
4. Seniors.
5. People with pre-existing medical conditions.
6. The homeless population.
7. Also, the uninsured who may not have access to regular medical care.
8. Others who have not seen their doctor regularly and are unaware of other conditions that may be compromising their body’s ability to recover.
9. People with a history of diabetes, heart or lung disease.

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