Staunton, Charlottesville monitoring coronavirus: No confirmed cases

There has not been, to this writing, a confirmed case of coronavirus in Virginia, but local officials in Staunton and Charlottesville are ready.

The cities each issued press releases Friday to report that they are monitoring the situation in coordination with public health and emergency management officials in order to be prepared if any response becomes necessary.

The basics, in terms of what to do

• stay home when sick
• cover coughs and sneezes
• avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
• wash your hands often (see below)
• routinely clean frequently touched surfaces

Important recommendation on hand washing

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean them often with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95 percent alcohol.

Resources

• CDC overview: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• CDC’s situation summary pagefor COVID-19 provides the latest updates on source, spread, response, and recommendations.
• CDC’s frequently asked questionsand answers on COVID-19.
• CDC’s latest COVID-19 prevention and treatment guidance for individuals.
• CDC’s prevention steps for the spread of coronavirus in homes and residential communities.
• CDC’s guidance for businesses and employersto plan and respond to coronavirus.
• Virginia Department of Health overview: vdh.virginia.gov/surveillance-and-investigation/novel-coronavirus/
• The Virginia Department of Health has established a call center for questions related to COVID-19, 877-ASK-VDH3 (or 877-275-8343).