HENDERSON, KY, March 5, 2020– Henderson Mayor Steve Austin and Henderson County Judge-Executive Brad Schneider will co-host a “Community Conversation on COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease)” on Monday, March 9.
The meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Preston Arts Center.
Mayor Austin and Judge-Executive Schneider will be joined by local public health officials in leading the conversation, including Clay Horton, Public Health Director at the Green River District Health Department, and Linda White, Administrator of Methodist Health, as well as Kenny Garrett, director of Henderson County Emergency Management.
Though no cases of COVID-19 have been identified locally, community leaders believe it is important to give anyone interested an opportunity to talk about this world-wide event.
Another benefit of a community conservation is providing a forum for citizens to hear practical advice about planning for a potential local outbreak and having an action plan ready to go to protect employees, at-risk populations and the community at large.
“We certainly don’t want to generate alarm, but we do want to open the floor rather than have our citizens wonder whether anything is being done locally to address their potential fears,” said Mayor Austin.
Meanwhile, the Green River District Health Department urges citizens to remain vigilant about their personal safety with the same universal precautions they would recommend with any outbreak of disease.
Here are some basics:
—Avoid close contact.
When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
—Stay home when you are sick.
This will help prevent spreading your illness to others. Don’t require sick employees to report to work.
—Cover your mouth and nose.
It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Flu and other serious respiratory illnesses are spread by cough, sneezing, or unclean hands.
—Clean your hands.
If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
—Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.