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Floyd County Public Health advises residents on spring break travel

Press Staff Report

People planning to travel for spring break should make protecting their health part of their plans, according to Floyd County Public Health.

Floyd County continues to work with the Iowa Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local partners to monitor and respond to the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, according to Public Health Director Gail Arjes.

Floyd County Public Health advises residents on spring break travel
This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), shows structure exhibited by the 2019 novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. This virus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. (CDC illustration)

The virus was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and has since been detected in other parts of the world, including the U.S.

The Iowa Department of Public Health and Floyd County Public Health are reminding vacationers to take time to learn about the prepare for health concerns, whether traveling to a sunny beach, a ski resort of enjoying a staycation.

Currently the greater health risk to Floyd County residents is from influenza, said Arjes, but she added that it is appropriate to take precautions against the COVID-19 virus.

“The prevention for COVID-19 is similar to how you protect yourself from a variety of viruses, like influenza. Cover coughs and sneezes, wash hands frequently, and stay home from work or vacation when ill,” she said.

“We continue to learn more about COVID-19 as the response progresses,” Arjes said. “Most often, person-to-person spread is thought to happen among people in close contact (about 6 feet) with each other. This spread is believed to occur when an infected person coughs or sneezes and droplets land on another person’s nose or mouth.

“Therefore, when at home or traveling, it is important to avoid being near people who are visibly ill,” she said.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.

IDPH posts statewide numbers regarding COVID-19 at the IDPH webpage at https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus.

As of Wednesday, 39 people in Iowa had completed public health monitoring for the novel coronavirus in Iowa, because they had traveled to or been in contact with others who had traveled to places where the novel coronavirus has been identified.

Ten people are currently being monitored but have shown no symptoms. Seven people had been tested for the virus and tested negative. No one in Iowa has been confirmed infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 in Iowa, the Iowa department said.

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