“Wash your hands like you’ve been chopping jalapeños and need to change your contact lenses” goes a meme circulating on Facebook concerning tips to avoid catching the newest round of Coronavirus.
It’s good advice. Though there are still no confirmed cases of COVID 19 in Hays County, a Wimberley couple is among the passengers of a cruise ship being taken to a military installation for two weeks of quarantined observation.
Additionally, Texas State University says 10 people who had traveled internationally are “to self-isolate at home” for 14 days prior to returning to campus.
“There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the individuals self-isolating and there no reason for alarm,” Chief Medical officer Dr. Emilio Carranca said. “The university is committed to protecting the health of our Texas State community and will continue to closely monitor the evolving coronavirus situation. University business and classes will continue as usual.”
Last week, the county’s Epidemiologist Dr. Eric Schneider confirmed others in the county are also in self-imposed quarantine because they “believe they may have been exposed to a confirmed case.” Schneider added that those individuals are being monitored.
Among the cruise ship passengers are Skip Casteel and his wife Anna of Wimberley. Casteel’s brother Wayne Casteel told the Hays Free Press that his brother is insulin dependent and his sister-in-law underwent heart bypass surgery not long ago and still needs medication.
He said both had faced challenges getting their medication while onboard the ship, and that supplies beyond what they now have will be sent to their final destination, presumably Lackland AFB in San Antonio.
“Somebody decided they would send the rest of it to their destination, wherever that is,” Wayne Casteel said. “There are 90 people on board from Texas, so they will either be sent to Lackland or some place in Georgia.”
He said neither had been tested for the virus, but that the couple remains in “pretty good” spirits.
At the time they boarded the Diamond Princess, they were avid cruisers and had another trip already lined up. “We’ve canceled that,” he said.
Skip Casteel is a former deputy with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office who retired in 2011.
Officials at the County Health Department, meanwhile have established a “monitoring protocol” that will be explained to individuals if they have symptoms indicative of the virus.
As of Tuesday, the virus had been detected in more than 100 countries across the globe and 423 domestic cases in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Of those, 72 are believed to be travel related and 29 are thought to have been spread from person to person.
Across the nation some schools have closed and mass gatherings – including Austin’s SXSW – were canceled.
Schneider, who told the Hays Free Press last week that he is in constant touch with the Centers for Disease control, noted that good health practices for keeping the virus at bay are similar to ones people use to avoid catching the flu – but stressed that the two are very different diseases.
Symptoms of COVID 19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath that can show up as soon as two days after exposure, but can also not show up for up to two weeks. Flu symptoms not associated with COVID 19 include headache, chills, body ache, sore throat, fatigue, stuffy nose and/or sneezing.
More recent advisories reiterate what Schneider had previously advised for local residents, including washing hands frequently, for at least 20 seconds including between fingers and under fingernails. “Handwashing is considered the best way to remove germs and dirt, and hand sanitizers should be used only when handwashing is not available,” the advisory said. “The hand sanitizers should be at least 60 percent alcohol to be effective.”
Anyone concerned they may have been exposed is urged to contact the county Public Health Department at 512-393-5520 to discuss exposure risk.
Coronaviruses are not new – some are responsible for common colds and some for more serious infections like SARS – but this particular strain is new which explains why it is often referred to as Novel Coronavirus.
Schneider said while he is “anticipating cases to eventually show up in Hays County,” the first line of defense against an outbreak or community spreading is to follow the good health practices whether you are healthy or feeling sick.
Schneider also recommended that residents rely on qualified information sources for additional information, such as the Centers for Disease Control at cdc.gov and the Texas Department of State Health Services at dshs.texas.gov.
TAKE PRECAUTIONS:
• Avoid handshaking and high-fives
• Avoid touching your face, especially eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home when you feel sick.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a disposable tissue, and then throw it away. Alternately, use the crook of your elbow if a tissue is not available.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household disinfectant cleaning spray or wipe. Clean cell and desk phones, computer keyboards, door handles, and work surfaces often.
• Face masks are not considered an effective way to prevent someone from catching a virus unless you have close, frequent contact with a sick person; however, they are an option for sick people to use to keep from spreading the virus.
• Avoid travel to areas that have been designated high-risk areas because of multiple verified cases of Corona.
