All Clarksville, Montgomery County Residents Urged to Take Preventive Measures
Montgomery County, TN – The Montgomery County Health Department is working in partnership is working in partnership with Montgomery County Government, the City of Clarksville, Fort Campbell, Tennova Healthcare of Clarksville, Premier Medical Group, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, other local schools, and other local, regional and state officials to implement prevention and mitigation strategies for local communities based on guidance provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and by state leadership.
“We’re working to ensure that everyone in Montgomery County that has a clinical picture consistent with coronavirus COVID-19 can be tested,” said Joey Smith, Montgomery County Public Health Director. “We need all Montgomery County residents to join the effort to prevent further spread of this illness in our communities.”
“It is important to note that the testing process for coronavirus COVID-19 is not like a rapid flu test, with results provided on the spot. Testing for coronavirus COVID-19 is conducted in the laboratory, so the tests are not distributed to health care facilities. Rather, health care providers take samples from their patients and submit them to a laboratory for testing,” added Smith.
Many health care providers can assess patients for coronavirus COVID-19 and collect samples to submit for testing. People who have concerns about their health should contact their regular health care providers, who can assess their risk and determine if they should be tested. People who don’t have insurance and have concerns they may have symptoms of coronavirus COVID-19 can contact the Montgomery County Health Department for consultation and to talk through potential options for assessment.
Most people, particularly those with mild or no symptoms, do not need assessment for coronavirus COVID-19. Public health authorities are prioritizing testing of people in high-risk categories: contacts of confirmed cases; people in occupations with exposure to large numbers of contacts; health care workers; nursing home residents; severely immunocompromised patients; critically ill patients; pregnant women and people who have traveled to areas with high case counts.
Anyone concerned about their health should first contact their regular health care provider. If you feel you need treatment, call the health care provider or facility first, so they can arrange for your arrival if you need to come in and can accommodate you while reducing risk of exposing other people to illness.
There are lots of things everyone can do to help flatten the curve and reduce the impact of coronavirus COVID-19:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water (or alcohol-based hand rub) for at least 20 seconds, especially after coughing or sneezing
- Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
- Stay home when you are sick
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with your arm or a tissue
- Clean and disinfect objects (e.g., cell phone, computer) and high touch surfaces regularly
Some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness, including older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or lung disease.
It’s extra important for people in these groups to take actions to reduce their risk of getting sick with coronavirus COVID-19:
- Take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others
- When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often
- Avoid crowds as much as possible
- Avoid cruise travel and non-essential air travel
- During a coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible to further reduce your risk of being exposed
For a list of assessment sites, please visit https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov/remote-assessment-sites.html.
For additional information, please visit www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19.html, www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html and www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.
