WARRENSBURG, Mo. (July 19, 2021) – Johnson County is experiencing a rise in COVID-19 cases. The county’s positivity rate has continued to increase, which has now placed Johnson County at the Critical Risk Level for positive COVID-19 cases.
Currently Johnson County has a 13.3 percent positivity rate, with new cases being identified daily. The climb in positive cases puts additional strain on emergency and healthcare resources.
This increase in cases prompts the need for everyone to take additional safety precautions. Johnson County Community Health Services (JCCHS) urges everyone to follow recommendations to help slow the continued spread.
JCCHS encourages individuals and businesses to follow exposure protocol as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Positive case in business or large group:
If a business or large group gathering has a positive COVID-19 case, each person identified as a close contact should be notified.
- A close contact is anyone who was within 6-feet for longer than 15 minutes of the person who tested positive.
- When close contacts are identified, each should be notified that they are a close contact to a positive COVID-19 case.
- If they have not been vaccinated, they should be advised to quarantine for a minimum of 10 days. As a reminder, a negative test prior to at least 10 days does not mean you are not infected. According to the CDC, it can take 2 to 14 days for symptoms to appear after exposure.
- A vaccinated individual does NOT need to quarantine if exposed, unless symptoms develop.
- If a close contact develops symptoms, they should seek out COVID-19 testing.
If you test positive:
If you have tested positive for COVID-19, it is recommended that you isolate for a minimum of 10 days starting from the date of the positive COVID-19 test or onset of symptoms. You should restrict activities and limit all movements to prevent you from unintentionally spreading COVID-19 to uninfected people.
- Even if you don’t have symptoms or they are mild, you could still spread the active virus to others.
- It is important to isolate from others, even in your home to limit exposure.
Personal Behavior Precautions:
Personal responsibility continues to be the most effective way to prevent the spread. Taking these precautions can protect our families, neighbors, and communities. Everyone who is able should follow these basic principles:
- Get your COVID-19 vaccine. This will help keep you from getting and spreading the virus. JCCHS offers a Walk-in Wednesday COVID-19 vaccine clinic every Wednesday from 1 to 4:30 PM for anyone ages 12 and older.
- If you are unvaccinated, wear a mask at all times in public and other settings outside your home where social distancing is not possible.
- Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet wherever possible, and limit close contacts with other individuals to less than 15 minutes.
- Wash hands multiple times a day.
- Stay home when sick or if you have symptoms. Self-isolate from other family members.
- As much as possible, limit your regular interactions to a small group (less than 10) of family members, friends, and/or co-workers.
Business Advisory
In addition to the basic guidance for individuals, all businesses are advised to implement basic infection prevention measures informed by industry best practices:
- Modify physical workspaces to maximize and maintain social distancing.
- Develop an infectious disease preparedness and response plan, including policies and procedures for workforce contact tracing when an employee tests positive for COVID-19.
- Monitor workforce for indicative symptoms. Symptomatic people should not physically return to work until cleared by a medical provider.
It will require each person to take these safety precautions to help slow the spread. These preventative measures are vital to get us through the next couple months.
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