[**Note: This story was posted before the number of confirmed cases in Vermilion County rose to four Thursday afternoon.]
The two confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Vermilion County have many people wondering who they are and where they have been. It is information that cannot be released because of privacy laws. But Vermilion County Health Department Administrator Doug Toole offered this advice on WDAN Radio’s Newsmaker’s program Thursday on who should be tested….
{‘’If there is someone who’s infected, and you’re worried they may have transmitted it to you – if you’ve been with-in like six feet of them for ten minutes or more, that’s when we start to think that transmission might be possible,’’ said Toole. ‘’Certainly someone could cough and spread it to a complete stranger in passing. But when they ask: ‘Well, you have this patient – how are you determining who else to test?’ It’s those sort of individuals – the ones who are in very close contact with them for a significant amount of time.’’}
Both Vermilion County cases involve people in their twenties and both are recovering. But Toole is concerned young people may not be taking the coronavirus threat seriously….
{‘’Statistically, it’s going to hit harder those who are 60 or older, or those who have underlying health conditions,’’ said Toole. ‘’And we’ve put out that message – that this is going to hit this population harder. And I’m starting to fear that the twenty-somethings and the teenagers are getting the message that – well, even if I get this, it won’t be that bad.’’}
The Vermilion County Health Department has been checking for people who may have been in close contact with the two positive cases.
Melissa Rome is the Emergency Planning and Preparedness Coordinator for the Vermilion County Health Department….
{‘’Before we were very worried about those who were over the age of sixty – we were worried about those with underlying conditions,’’ said Rome. ‘’But what we’re finding is anybody can get this. It’s just that those who do have the underlying conditions, and those who are older, are more susceptible to severe symptoms.}
For more information about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, visit the Vermilion County Health Department website at www.vchd.org.
