Got coronavirus questions, Manatee County? Health department has a new hotline to call
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The Manatee County Health Department has opened a local hotline for county residents to call if they have questions about the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, residents can call 941-242-6649 and one of the health department’s experts will be available to answer questions, the department announced on Friday afternoon. Those experts will also ask callers to determine if they are at risk for having COVID-19 based on their travel history, exposure to someone confirmed to have the virus and other factors.
“Calling the health department ahead of time allows us to coordinate with the health care system to assure appropriate infection control measures in our community,” Jennifer Bencie, the department’s health officer, said in an issued statement. “It also meets the guidelines laid out in Section 3 of the statewide Declaration of Public Health Emergency issued on March 1.”
Any Manatee County residents who think that they may have COVID-19 are asked to call the hotline before going to a doctor’s office, hospital or other healthcare provider.
The state department of health activated its own hotline on Monday. On Friday, the state extended the hours of their hotline 866-779-6121 making it available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Questions or concerns can also be emailed to covid-19@health.gov.
On Thursday, the state also activated enhanced screening of medical-related 911 calls for the first time ever in an effort to contain exposure.
The health department is also reminding the public on how they can prevent catching COVID-19 by washing their hands often with soap and water, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer and covering your mouths and noses with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands, when you don’t have a tissue.
It also encouraged that you don’t touch your face without washing your hands, to frequently clean and disinfect surfaces, not to touch or shake hands with someone who is sick and stay home when you are sick.
This story was originally published March 6, 2020 at 1:47 PM.
