Siouxland District Health Department (SDHD) is the public health agency for Woodbury County. Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work, and play by trying to prevent people from getting sick or injured. Public health also promotes wellness by encouraging healthy behaviors.
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE
FEBRUARY 25, 2020
Our podcast on the coronavirus is available here: Coronavirus: Update on the outbreak
A novel (new) coronavirus has been causing an outbreak of illnesses in China and the outbreak is currently expanding to other parts of the world including the United States. This virus is currently being referred to as SARS-CoV-2. The disease associated with this virus is being called COVID-19.
As of February 25, 2020, 14 have been confirmed to have the virus. 12 have been travel related and 2 have come from person-to-person spread.
Below is a list of frequently asked questions about COVID-19:
What’s a coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with MERS and SARS. It's important to know that there are coronaviruses other than COVID-19 that are circulating routinely.
How is COVID-19 being spread?
Past history with coronavirus tells us that spread to close contacts (approximately 6 feet) usually occurs via respiratory droplets (when a person sneezes or coughs).
Most of time people spread this virus when they are symptomatic. But there is evidence of at least some spread occuring from people that are not having symptoms.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Fever, cough, and shortness of breath are the most common symptoms.
Confirmed cases have ranged from very mild or no symptoms to severe or life-threatening symptoms.
CDC believes that people develop symptoms between 2-14 days after catching the virus.
What can I do to keep from getting it?
There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. Everyday precautions are the best way to prevent contact with the virus.
• Regular hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
What about travel to other countries?
CDC has updated the travel advisories and warnings and they now include several countries. See the link to view the list and recommendations: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html
What is public health doing to protect everyone?
People coming to the US from China are being screened at the airports for symptoms of 2019-nCoV. The state where these travelers are going will be monitoring them for up to 14 days for symptoms. State and local public health will also be working to identify contacts of people that do test positive.
More information about COVID-19 is available here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Siouxland District Board of Health Vacancy
Move Your Way CampaignSM
Siouxland District Health Department has been selected as one of eight communities from across the nation, to pilot the Move Your Way Campaign SM over the next nine months. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services created the Move Your Way campaign to promote the second edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. It aims to help people understand how much physical activity they need to be healthy and how to fit it into their daily lives.
The campaign has videos, fact sheets, posters, and interactive tools in English and Spanish that are free and easy to use and distribute. These materials promote friendly, practical key messages, like “lots of things count as physical activity” and “it all adds up!”
To kick off the campaign - Cone Park WinterFest – Move Your Way 2020, is being held Sunday, Feb 23rd at Cone Park. The free family fun physical activity event will include free tubing, ice skating and more! Special guests at the event include Sioux City Musketeers. The event begins with the River Cade Carboard Sled Races at 2:00 pm. followed by free tubing, ice skating and more. Event will run until 5:30 p.m.
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