Fayette County, working through our Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and Local Health Department, is advising and coordinating the community’s response to the Corona Virus pandemic. According to the TN Department of Health, as of today, there is no person who has contracted the disease in West Tennessee outside of Shelby County. In accordance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) (www.cdc.gov), we are advising everyone to use precautions, such as handwashing and avoiding large crowds, so that the spread of the disease can be slowed. The disease starts out as a cold, with aches and pains, and can progress to a low-grade fever and respiratory problems over a 5-10-day period. The disease is more contagious than the normal flu and, without an available vaccination, caution should be taken to avoid contact with individuals who may have the disease. The disease is more severe in older populations, and for those who have underlying health problems already. Those who are in an older population and have other health issues should use more caution than normal to avoid the disease.
Fayette County Ambulance Service is coordinating with all the county and city Fire Departments and first responders to make sure that all calls are responded to in a safe manner. If you must call 911, please cooperate with the Dispatchers so they can send the appropriate response to you. Once help arrives, you may be asked to put on a mask for your and the responder’s protection. This is being done in an abundance of caution to help prevent the spread of the disease.
As of right now, there have been no cancellations of major events or meetings, but those are being evaluated constantly, so please check with the organization for updated information.
If you have a concerns about symptoms and what to do, please go to the CDC website for more information (www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html).
Everyone is concerned about this disease, as well they should, but with proper caution and keeping up to date with local information, we are going to do our best to make sure everyone has a good outcome.