To: City of Bangor residents and community members
From: Patty Hamilton, Public Health Director
Date: March 4, 2020
Subject: COVID-19 (coronavirus) update
Given all the recent news regarding COVID-19, or coronavirus, I would like to provide an update.
Our biggest goal is to protect the health of our employees and our community, and the best way to do that is to provide information.
We do not have any coronavirus cases in Maine or in Bangor. It is likely that sometime in the near future we will have cases in the state and in our community. Because of this knowledge, we are preparing and asking all of you to prepare, too. Bangor’s healthcare, public health, and emergency management providers have been preparing and coordinating our efforts to meet the needs of our community. We are on calls several times each week and are doing all we can to stay informed with what is happening in Maine and the nation.
In order to reduce exposure to the virus, we recommend these things:
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using regular household cleaning spray
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throw it in the trash
- Wash hands frequently; soap and water are as effective as hand sanitizer
- Stay home if you are sick
- Make a plan to stay home for a period of time; have food and extra medicine on hand
- If you are sick and need care, call your health care provider for further steps and direction
Eighty percent of people who get this infection recover at home and don’t require medical help. Staying informed and following the advice above will go a long way in reducing the amount of infection in our community and will help protect all of us.
To stay informed go to these credible sources:
Federal CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Maine CDC: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus.shtml
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019