FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 8, 2020

Staying home right now is crucial to limiting the spread of COVID-19

As spring holidays approach and the weather warms up, local health departments want you to keep your distance from others. The number of cases of COVID-19 can go down if we stay apart. This includes staying home and avoiding all non-essential activities and contact with others. Non-essential activities mean not hosting or attending gatherings (play dates, dinners or other social activities), shopping in groups and non-essential travel. Physical distancing is the key!

“We know it’s tempting to get outside with neighbors and friends when the weather is nice, but don’t assume that because you are outside, you can’t transmit the virus to others or become infected yourself,” says Dr. Sanmi Areola, director of the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment. “The virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets when you cough or sneeze. People gathering together, even in groups of less than 10, must stay at least 6 feet apart.”

The physical distancing rules apply both indoors and outside, says Areola. Besides physical distancing and staying home, all metro health departments recommend frequent handwashing, avoiding touching your face and staying away from ill people. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends using a homemade cloth mask or face covering when leaving home for essential activities, using a mask does not replace the need to follow these important precautions to prevent illness.

“This is a critical time in our community. We need everyone’s help to “flatten the curve” so our first responders and local hospitals do not become overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients,” says Areola. “If everyone abides by the stay home orders we will not only reduce infection rates and the number of deaths in the community, but we will be closer to getting back to life as we know it.”

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