Amy von Hone, image courtesy of Brewster Channel 18
BREWSTER-The Brewster Health Department, along with the Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod (VNA) and Brewster Council on Aging, held a public forum Thursday at Brewster Town Hall to address questions and concerns regarding the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
After a week filled with local, national, and worldwide developments, Brewster residents brought up a wide range of topics to the Health Director for Brewster Amy von Hone and Meg Payne of the VNA.
Payne advised that tests will only be administered to those who have symptoms such as a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, and have either recently traveled or have been exposed to someone who has. People also have to receive a negative flu test, as a way to rule that out as a possibility, before receiving a coronavirus test.
“Tests are more available now, but they’re not available for the masses,” Payne said.
“So, if you do meet the criteria, then your primary care physician can order a test from the state.”
Payne said that it is unclear that it is possible to contract both the flu and COVID-19, but she imagines that further testing would occur if the symptoms of a flu diagnosis do not subside. Payne noted that people have been able to recover from the coronavirus, and that symptoms are oftentimes mild.
Preventative measures such as covering mouths before a sneeze or cough and washing hands with warm water and soap were outlined at the event. Residents should also avoid touching their faces, as the virus spreads and enters systems through droplets.
von Hone said that the best way to prevent the transmission of this virus and all future viruses, though, is to get educated.
“These are all things that we should be doing proactively on a regular basis,” she explained, “and this new Coronavirus is just reminding us of that.”
Payne noted that those who have recently moved to the area full-time should ensure that they have a primary healthcare provider. She said that there are openings at Cape Cod Healthcare.
von Hone explained that the town is not giving out any other information beyond what the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has put out for the time being. The state is currently working on providing the proper resources and passing them along to towns.
A task force has been created in the town to address the coronavirus, similar to the team assembled in Sandwich. A website on the virus is also being set up by the town, according to von Hone.
von Hone told attendees to not panic, even though information has been mounting up over the past few days. The town will continue to work to find informative and factual resources for residence to utilize.
For more information, visit the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s website by clicking here.
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