Danbury Establishes Local COVID-19 Community Hotline
The City of Danbury has established a local COVID-19 community hotline.
Mayor of the Hat City, Mark Boughton, announced the new hotline on Saturday (March 14) as just another important measure taken, while our community continues to take the proper precautions in the battle against the spread of the Coronavirus.
Effective immediately, residents who are concerned with any symptoms they may be experiencing related to a potential case of the virus, such as two or three days of fever, cough, and shortness of breath, can dial 888-667-9262 seven days a week, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
Mayor Boughton says that the hotline has been set up in order to help mitigate the high volume of calls that the local emergency departments and medical practices have been experiencing.
Any residents who are not experiencing the associated symptoms, but have questions regarding COVID-19, are asked to visit the Danbury Hospital website.
According to the Department of Public Health, the risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 is considered low for people who had contact with an individual who does not have COVID-19 and does not have symptoms. In other words, a contact of a contact is considered low risk.
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The Governor's Office has also provided residents with some important messages to keep in mind:
- People without symptoms should not be tested for COVID-19. Testing individuals with no symptoms is not recommended by CDC.
- If you were with someone who does not have symptoms, the risk of transmission is very low.
- There are many respiratory illnesses circulating in Connecticut, such as the flu and the common cold. Having respiratory symptoms does not mean that you have COVID-19.
- People are at higher risk for COVID-19 if they have symptoms of the virus (cough, fever, shortness of breath) AND if they were a contact of a positive case of COVID-19 (or have traveled to country with community transmission, such as China, Italy, South Korea, Iran, and Japan).
- Someone is considered a contact if they have had direct, face-to-face contact with a person with COVID-19.
- People who think they have COVID-19 should call their healthcare provider. These people should not go directly to a healthcare facility without first calling a healthcare provider (unless they are experiencing a medical emergency).
- People with general questions about COVID-19 can visit ct.gov/coronavirus or call 2-1-1.
- Everyone can help stop the spread of viruses in Connecticut.
- Get your flu shot, and make sure the people around you do the same.
- Wash your hands often throughout the day. Use warm water and soap. If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand gel.
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow. Viruses can spread by coughing or sneezing on other people or into your hands.
- Stay home from work or school if you are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious foods.
- Keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant.