Santa Rosa County Emergency Management
Monitoring COVID-19 - Update #1

On Mar. 11, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic outbreak of COVID-19. In response, the Santa Rosa County Department of Emergency Management is currently operating at a Level III, or monitoring, status and is participating in:

• Conference calls with the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM).
• Daily updates and coordination with the Santa Rosa County DOH administrator.
• Providing updates to Santa Rosa County first responders.
• Preparation for pandemic response.
• Providing updates to county leadership.
• Assisting the Santa Rosa County DOH with social media messaging and rumor control.

"We are in the preparedness phase of our pandemic plan and will adjust accordingly at the guidance of our lead agency, the Santa Rosa County Health Department." said Public Safety Director Brad Baker. "We encourage our residents to embrace facts, not fear, and follow precautionary steps to stay healthy."

For the most up-to-date information, monitor the Florida DOH's COVID-19 webpage, call COVID-19 24/7 Call Center, (866) 779-6121 or email COVID-19@flhealth.gov. 

Information You Should Know from the Florida Department of Health
COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when an individual coughs or sneezes. These droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure. Most people recover from COVID-19 without needing special treatment. The elderly and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes are more likely to develop serious illness.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus and use everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of respiratory diseases.

At Home

• Continue to practice good hand washing. Cover coughs and sneezes. Stay home from work if you are sick and keep children home from school when sick.
• Remind family members not to touch their faces.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, tables and handrails.
• Open windows or adjust air conditioning to increase ventilation.
• Treat vulnerable family members, such as those over the age of 65 or with chronic medical conditions, as though others are a threat to them. Practice good hygiene when caring for them. If they are sick, provide them with their own room, and keep the door closed.  

At Work

• Good hand hygiene is as important at work as it is at home. Encourage employees to clean hands at the door and send email reminders to clean hands throughout the day.
• Stop shaking hands. Use other, non-contact methods of greeting customers and coworkers.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
• Open windows or adjust air conditioning to increase ventilation.
• Consider videoconferencing for meetings whenever possible. When not possible, hold meetings in open, well-ventilated spaces.
• Assess the risks of business travel.
• Handle food carefully and limit food sharing.
• Ensure cafeteria staff and their close contacts practice strict hygiene.
• Allow employees to stay home if they are sick or have a sick family member. 

Businesses 

• Stop shaking hands. Use non-contact methods of greeting.
• Clean hands at the door and send employees email reminders to clean hands throughout the day.
• Promote tap and pay to limit handling of cash.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
• Open windows or adjust air conditioning to increase ventilation. 
• Avoid crowding by booking appointments to stagger customer flow.

The CDC does not recommend that asymptomatic, healthy people wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of face masks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

A person that experiences a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after travel from any destination under the recently updated CDC travel advisory should call ahead to their health care provider and local CHD and mention their recent travel or close contact.

If a person has had close contact with someone showing these symptoms who has recently traveled from this area or been in contact with a person with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, they should call ahead to a health care professional and the county health department. The health care provider will work with the Florida DOH to determine if the person should be tested for COVID-19.

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