About COVID-19

ABOUT COVID-19:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China. We continue to closely monitor this outbreak and we are in close communication with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Louisiana Department of Public Health, along with other local and national emergency service agencies and partners.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

  • Practice social distancing by putting space between yourself and others.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water often.  Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home if you feel sick to prevent the spread of any infection.
  • Cover your cough with your elbow to prevent the spread of germs.
  • All individuals should wear a cloth face covering or mask in public.
  • Get the flu vaccination to help prevent the flu, which has similar symptoms as COVID-19.
  • Gather extra food and medication, so that you don’t have to go to the store while sick.
  • Pay attention to factual information from the CDC and Louisiana Department of Health

SEVERITY & SYMPTOMS:
Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed COVID-19 cases.  Older people and people with underlying health conditions seem to be a great risk of serious illness.  Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath and may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure.

HOW IT SPREADS:
The virus is thought to spread between people in close contact (within 6 feet) and through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

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

MITIGATION STRATEGIES:
The following is a framework from the CDC for actions to both prepare for and mitigate community transmission of COVID-19 in our community.  The goals for using mitigation strategies in communities with local COVID-19 transmission are to slow the transmission of disease:
Mitigation Strategies for Communities with COVID-19

MORE INFORMATION:

PRINTABLE CDC COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS:

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: