Local officials have expressed concerns about travelers returning from spring break possibly bringing back more virus cases to Bartholomew County.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 has continued to increase in the United States, with nearly 14,200 people infected and 205 deaths linked to the virus, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.
As of Friday, there was one local case of COVID-19 in Bartholomew County.
There have been many cases reported in some spring break hotspots, including Florida, which had at least 520 confirmed cases as of Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Media reports this past week have shown people congregating on beaches in Florida, disregarding federal guidelines for social distancing and raising concerns of increased community spread when they return home.
“This was one of the primary reasons we initially decided to close schools for two weeks — individuals returning from vacation on spring break,” said Dr. Brian Niedbalski, Bartholomew County Health Office and Columbus Regional Health physician. “Those people returning from travel in the U.S. should be alert for the development of any symptoms. They should also be practicing the concept of social distancing, just like the rest of us.”
CRH officials, for their part, are anticipating an increase in confirmed cases not just because of spring break travelers potentially returning to Columbus with the virus, but also because of increased testing at the state and national levels, said CRH spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue.
“We expect to see a significant increase in confirmed cases,” DeClue said. “And that is due, in part, especially to (increased) testing. …We know it is already spreading via community transmission. Obviously, travel can increase that, so that is obviously a factor.”
Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop said city officials are concerned that local residents returning from spring break may not understand precisely how much has changed in a little over a week as Columbus transitioned from having a fairly normal start of spring break, to a near shutdown of every public facility in the community by Friday.
“We do have some concern,” Lienhoop said. “In theory, as Dr. Jim Roberts (Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. superintendent) has said, in theory, at the end of spring break we have 12,000 kids returning home,” he said of the end of spring break. “There is a lot of concern where they are going and that they are going to be cared for. The vast majority will be staying home and being taken care of by family but other families are arranging care.”
Local health officials are urging residents to practice social distancing and, in certain cases, self-isolate depending on where they traveled during spring break.
“If people are returning from a Level 3 country (China, Iran, Ireland, Malaysia, South Korea, United Kingdom, and most of Europe), then they should definitely self quarantine for 14 days from their last day in that country,” Niedbalski said. “They should monitor their temperatures at least twice a day and be alert for development of cough or other symptoms consistent with COVID-19.”
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Local residents with concerns are urged to call the health system’s Triage Resource Call Center, a phone resource line launched by CRH last week to handle calls from residents with questions and concerns about exposure or symptoms associated with COVID-19, CRH officials said.
The phone resource line can be contacted at 812-379-4449 available seven days a week, and is staffed by registered nurses who will offer screening questions and potentially recommend a course of action for patients.
Visit crh.org/news/2020/03/16/coronavirus-update-what-you-need-to-know for more information.
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Columbus and Bartholomew County officials have created a site on the Bartholomew County website where information will be shared about coronavirus, at bartholomew.in.gov/emergency-management.html#covid-19.
Visit crh.org/news/2020/03/12/coronavirus-update-what-you-need-to-know to learn more about Columbus Regional Health’s COVID-19 Triage Resource Call Center.
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To see the latest list of closing and cancellations, see Page A3.
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Federal officials are scrambling to broaden testing for the coronavirus after one of the government’s top health officials called the initial testing effort “a failing” and health care professionals, politicians and patients across the country complained about lack of access to testing, according to The Associated Press.
CRH officials acknowledged on Monday that there is a “shortage of testing supplies” and said relatively healthy people with a low fever and cough and are not that sick would likely be advised to stay at home and not seek medical attention.
However, people with symptoms such as shortness of breath or risk factors such as being older than 60 and/or having a compromised immune system should seek medical care and let their physician decide if a test will help direct their care.
Anyone with concerns are urged to call the health system’s Triage Resource Call Center, a phone resource line launched by CRH last week to handle calls from residents with questions and concerns about exposure or symptoms associated with COVID-19.
The phone line is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is staffed by registered nurses who will offer screening questions and potentially recommend a course of action for patients, said CRH spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue.
The phone resource line can be contacted at 812-379-4449.
Visit crh.org/news/2020/03/16/coronavirus-update-what-you-need-to-know for more information.
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For breaking stories about the coronavirus pandemic, visit therepublic.com.
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