Information from the Winnebago County Health Department
Winnebago County Public Health Department
COVID-19 Updates for Healthcare Providers & First Responders
March 20, 2020
Please distribute widely. The format may be altered when forwarded in an email. Find a shareable link here.
DHS Health Alert #2: Recommendations for active symptom monitoring for employees in health care settings where community transmission of COVID-19 is occurring
DHS revised recommendations for long-term care facilities and assisted living facilities. These recommendations apply to facilities caring for patients who are elderly and/or have chronic medical conditions placing them at high risk of severe complications of COVID-19.
DHS released guidance for dental health care providers. This memo includes guidance about postponing elective and non-urgent dental care treatment until the public health emergency has passed. Information about how prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the dental workplace is also included.
Governor Tony Evers released Emergency Order #8 which maintains the ban on gatherings of 10 or more people and indefinite school closures, but includes important changes and clarifications. This includes a closure of hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, day spas, tattoo parlors, body art establishments and tanning facilities effective 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 20.
DHS released a memo with important information for recipients of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)
DHS expects that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) will not fully meet the needs of the provider community operating at surge capacity. Because DHS expects continued PPE shortages, facilities should follow strategies to optimize the supply of PPE in accordance with new guidance from the CDC.
Public Health Staffing and Forced Respite: Responder safety and health is an essential part of all PHEPs, and consideration of worker fatigue is part of that. Because each agency’s staffing and capacity is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. All toolkits recommend an evaluation of each organization’s policies and capacity. Here are some resources that can help guide those decisions on a local level:
Child Care Survey for Medical Professionals and Essential Staff: The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services are working together to determine the emerging and urgent child care needs of medical professionals and essential staff due to COVID-19. If you have an immediate need or anticipate having a need for child care, please take 3 minutes to complete this survey as soon as possible.
COCA Webinar: Underlying Medical Conditions and People at Higher Risk for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
During this COCA call, presenters will focus on current information about people who are higher risk for COVID-19 complications because of their age or underlying medical conditions, particularly those that are not well-controlled.
Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2020 / Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m.
