TARRANT COUNTY, TX
Public Health
March 28, 2020
Answers to some COVID-19 questions
Folks, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve quickly and we know the uncertainty of this situation is worrisome. So I want to offer a bit of reassurance.
First, not every disease going around is COVID-19!
This time of year, we see many flu-like illnesses. It’s also allergy season. Tarrant County Public Health and our healthcare partners have been educating the public about these for years. And although COVID-19 symptoms are similar to some of these viruses, it doesn’t come out of nowhere, and it can only be spread by people who actually have it. We’ve alerted local doctors and hospitals as to what exactly to look for.
We have gotten lots of questions about COVID-19, here are a couple of the most often-asked:
Does “social distancing” and self-isolation really do any good?
We know from past experience that social distancing does in fact work. Data from previous pandemics shows social distancing, self-quarantining and isolation are effective in slowing down a community pandemic. So, yes, staying at home and social distancing WORKS to minimize the spread of any disease that is transmitted from person to person. However, don’t feel that you have to spend this time alone in isolation. Connect with your own family. Spend some time with a loved one or leverage technology such as Facetime or Skype to chat with a friend or family member you can’t visit.
Do I need a COVID-19 test?
If you do not have any symptoms i.e., fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing; have not traveled to an area where there was widespread COVID-19; and have not been in contact with someone who has the virus, then the answer is probably no.
The mission of public health is to keep our community safe by educating the public about disease prevention and how to live a healthy life. We accomplish that by, among other ways, sharing factual and useful information. Our intent is to calm people’s fears and assure -not panic- the public.
The COVID-19 pandemic will end. In the meantime, stay home as much as possible and be skeptical of information and sources that promote panic and irrational fear. Keeping a cool head is the best defense against any threat to your well-being.
Remember: We’ve weathered crisis and emergency situations before and we will get through this.
We're doing our best to keep our coronavirus.tarrantcounty.com web page and other social media updated. Thanks for bearing with us during this time.
Regards,
Veerinder "Vinny" Taneja
Director, Tarrant County Public Health