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In response to Sunday’s news that Region 2 would begin operating under resurgence mitigation beginning Wednesday, Nov. 4, Hector Gomez, Bureau, Putnam, Marshall Counties Health Department administrator, released a statement saying new confirmed case numbers and COVID-19-related deaths are rising locally and statewide at alarming levels.
Gomez stated that the numbers are “not a hoax, they are not a conspiracy — they are a threat to the health of our communities and to our state and local economies.”
Bureau County has reported three COVID-19 deaths in the past five days. There have been a total of 24 COVID-19-related deaths in the Bureau, Putnam and Marshall counties service area. There have been 21 COVID-19-related deaths in Bureau County and three in Marshall County.
“In order to lower those numbers we need to be taking every step we can to slow the spread of this virus until effective medical approaches to it can be developed and deployed. We can only do that if everyone will just voluntarily accept a little temporary inconvenience in the interest of themselves, their family, their friends and the other members of their community,” Gomez stated.
“We are all in this together. No one wants to see unnecessary sickness and death among family, friends and in our communities — and no one wants negative impacts to local businesses and our economy this holiday season. This does not have to be an either-or proposition if we will all just voluntarily do the right thing and turn these numbers around.
“The people that are facing difficulty with COVID-19 are not numbers. They are neighbors. They are friends. They are relatives. And, they are not all easily identifiable as a candidate for serious complications from COVID-19. Much is still not known about COVID-19, including what triggers serious illness in folks that do not appear to be at obvious risk for complications.”
Gomez reminded residents to remember to:
• Distance. Distance. Distance.
• Wear a facemask or other face cover in public, especially when distancing is not possible.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Avoid crowds and large gatherings, especially if you see that people are not following guidance for distancing and masks.
• Avoid locations where employees or staff are not following guidelines and/or not encouraging customers and patrons to do the same.
