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0000017b-185c-d2e5-a37b-5cff92510000Wisconsin State and Local Government Sources: Wisconsin Department of Health Services: COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)Oneida County Health DepartmentVilas County Health DepartmentLincoln County Health DepartmentMarathon County Health Department Langlade County Health DepartmentWestern Upper Peninsula Health DepartmentForest County Health DepartmentFederal Government Sources:Centers for Disease Control (CDC)Risk Assessment PageSituation Summary PageState Department Travel AdvisoriesWorld Health Organization (WHO)WHO Question and Answer Page

Northwoods Emergency Plans In Place Should Health Concerns Worsen

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention

Health departments in the Northwoods have plans in place should the coronavirus outbreak reach the Northwoods and spreads.

Assistant Director at the Vilas County Health Department Tammi Boers says there have been no reports of anyone sick with the coronavirus in Vilas county, but none-the-less they have plans in place in case there is a breakout. She says they first used the plan in 2009 with the H1N1 virus.

She says they're updating the plan based on the Centers For Disease Control recommendations..

"That includes a lot of social distancing-type things. If you're sick, stay home. They're recommending stay 6 feet away from people who are ill, things like that. We're doing updates within the county and we're working with other area health departments and our hospitals and the tribes so we know how our plans work..."

Tammy Boers says the plans can be implemented very quickly. She says right now it's low risk, so they're doing more educational outreach. If someone does come down with the virus, the plan gets kicked up a notch.

She says the basic safeguards apply anywhere...

"Wash your hands, stay home when you're sick and cover your cough and sneezes..."

One footnote is a recent report from National Public Radio found experts saying 20,000-40,000 people have died from common influenza in the U.S. this flu season. We have a link to that report(above) and the CDC coronavirus informationhere.

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