Warren County continues to see an increase in new COVID-19 cases and its positivity rate also continues to climb. The Warren County Health Department wants to stress the agency will continue to work diligently to follow-up with those who test positive, however if you test positive for COVID-19 do not wait to hear from the department to begin your isolation. Please stay home and isolate yourself away from others. People who are in isolation should stay home until it’s safe for them to be around others. In the home, anyone sick or infected should separate themselves from others by staying in a specific “sick room” or area and using a separate bathroom (if available). Start making a contact list for “close contacts” that you have been around 48 hours prior to symptom onset or when you were tested. Let your contacts know that they might have been exposed. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 but continue to have no symptoms you still need to isolate. People with no symptoms (asymptomatic) can spread the virus to others. If you think or know you have COVID-19 stay home and isolate. You cannot test out of isolation.
You can be around others after: • 10 days since symptoms first appeared and; • 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and; • Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving
**Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation If you have been within six feet of someone with a confirmed diagnoses of COVID-19 for a total of at least 15 minutes, please self-quarantine at home away from others for 14 days after the last contact and monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. If you are being tested for COVID-19, please self-isolate at home away from others. Even if you test negative after being a close contact to someone with COVID-19 you still should complete the entire 14 days of quarantine. It can take several days after exposure to develop symptoms of COVID-19. “Women between the ages of 20 and 40 make up our largest group of new cases, followed by females between the ages of 40-60. Contact tracing is an important tool in limiting transmission and preventing further spread of the virus, however it is most effective when combined with other prevention measures and methods of infection control in the community,” stressed Warren County Public Health Department Administrator Jenna Link. OSF HealthCare Holy Family Medical Center President Jackie Kernan agrees with Link. “We are experiencing increasing hospitalizations across our Ministry. We are confident in our surge plans, PPE and staffing to meet the needs of our patients but we are concerned the numbers are going in the wrong direction,” according to Kernan. She added, “We strongly encourage people to please wear a mask, wash your hands, maintain 6 feet physical distance, avoid crowds and contact with anyone with underlying conditions, and stay home if you are sick. These actions can have a big impact in reducing the spread of COVID-19. We all need to be on the same team to help our businesses, educators, first responders, health care workers and each other to help prevent transmission of the novel coronavirus and reduce hospitalizations in our community.”
