'Situation continues to evolve:' State health officials field coronavirus questions
State health officials field coronavirus questions
State health officials field coronavirus questions
MADISON -- The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) fielded questions Wednesday, March 11 from across the state on how people should handle the coronavirus outbreak.
Officials shared thoughts on the path the virus could take, when it is necessary to be tested and cautious planning suggestions for social events.
"We want to make sure that we have the best and most up-to-date guidance to folks as they are making decisions," said Andrea Palm, DHS secretary designee.
One main concern was planning for large events. Officials offered this advice:
"I think we need to be thinking about and very cautious about what types of group settings people expose themselves to."
"Things to consider as you're thinking about your event are the number of people, where are those folks coming from, who are the attendees? Are they attendees that are particularly vulnerable to infectious disease?"
One of their top priorities now is preventing outbreaks at nursing homes; most fatalities worldwide have been senior citizens.
"We want to do everything we can to minimize the risk that those vulnerable people in the community are protected," Dr. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer and state epidemiologist, said.
And what do you do if you believe you have been exposed?
'I think proactively testing meaning testing before people are ill, is not what we recommend," said Westergaard.
Officials said people do not need to be tested until they show symptoms, which could include a cough or sore throat. So far, three people in Wisconsin have tested positive for COVID-19. One of those people has been cleared.
"This is not a thing any doctors or patients have dealt with before. So we're in communication with really all our partners that make up the health system and the public health system," Westergaard said.
Health department officials said there is hope with warmer weather on the way, COVID-19 could taper off, like other common viruses, but they cannot know for sure.
"This situation continues to evolve," said Palm.
There were also questions about if the virus could affect or be spread by pets. Health officials said there is no evidence of that so far, but it is also something they are watching closely.
As of March 11, six total cases of the virus were confirmed in the state of Wisconsin.