Dear friends –
It is important for the health and well-being of all of us that in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, we plan and prepare, but not panic. Dallas County health leaders are among the best prepared to respond to community health crises, and are actively working to ensure adequate response to the developing situation. As we are reminded by last night‘s Dallas County Health declaration, all of us bear responsibility to care for ourselves and families and friends, and to take reasonable steps to minimize risks to others. My office is maintaining frequent communications with state and local officials, from the county health department to the Governor, to assist in coordinating federal, state, and local efforts.
Here are links to resources from city, county, state and federal agencies. Be well.
HELPFUL INFORMATION
Dallas County Health and Human Services
972-692-2780; 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Monday – Friday.
Texas Department of State Health Services
PLAN DON’T PANIC
What are the symptoms?
Largely the same as the flu: COVID-19 causes fever, cough, body aches, fatigue, etc.; it may also cause shortness of breath.
What should I do if I feel ill?
Stay home. Call your primary care physician, and he or she will ask you questions to determine whether you should be tested for COVID-19. If you do not have insurance, please call a physician’s office or hospital, and if appropriate, you may be referred for testing. At present, the state and counties do not have resources sufficient to test people on the basis of curiosity. However, within a matter of days commercial labs will be able to provide testing on demand.
How do I know if I was exposed?
COVID-19 is transmitted by close contact with a person who has contract the virus, which includes:
- Living in the same household as a sick person with COVID-19
- Caring for a sick person with COVID-19
- Being within 6 feet of a sick person with COVID-19 for more than 10 minutes, OR
- Being in direct contact with secretions from a sick person with COVID-19 (e.g., directly through coughing or sneezing, sharing utensils, contact with affected surfaces, etc.).
If you have not been in close contact with a sick person with COVID-19, you are considered to be at low risk for infection. You can continue to go to work and school.
