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<p style="font-weight:bold; display: inline; line-height:150%; font-size: 115%;">1005 W. Worley St. <br />Columbia, MO 65203</p></div>
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<p style="font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p>
<p style="font-size: 120%; margin-top: -5px; font-weight:bold;">May 26, 2020</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 100%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Lucio Bitoy IV
<br />Community Relations Specialist
<br />Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services
<br />573.874.7632
<br />Lucio.Bitoy@CoMo.gov</p>
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<div style="font-size: 110%; line-height:150%;"><h1 style="clear:both; margin-top: 75px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 130%;">Status update of COVID-19 in Boone County</h1>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - <p style="display:inline;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boone County began the slow reopening process on May 4, 2020. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Si</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">nce the stay at home order ended, people have gone back to work, are attending family and other gatherings, going shopping, etc. We expect to see more cases of COVID-19 as we continue to slowly reopen and people come into contact with others. As cases increase, PHHS is closely monitoring the following data trends. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boone County has recorded 25 new cases between May 10 and May 25. The case breakdown is as follows: </span></p>
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<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eleven of the cases are due to contact with a known case. The cases that are due to contact with a known case include exposure to a case living in the same household.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eleven are due to community transmission (not due to contact with a known case or travel). </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two cases are due to travel.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">One is still under investigation. </span></li>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of the new cases, 56 percent have been individuals under the age of 30. This is of particular concern because younger people could be exposing their parents, grandparents, relatives, friends, co-workers, etc. to the virus. The impacts of the virus can be severe and disproportionately impact the vulnerable, including older adults and people who have underlying medical conditions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Our actions each day have the potential to change the hard work that we as a community have been doing for the last several weeks," Mayor Brian Treece said. "We are counting on every member of our community to unite to protect one another." </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As we continue to slowly reopen Boone County, it’s imperative that everyone take extra precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These things include:</span></p>
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<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avoid close contact with others by social distancing from individuals outside of your household. This includes not coming within 6 feet of someone who does not live in your home for more than 15 minutes. </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Consider wearing cloth face coverings in situations in which social distancing is difficult to maintain. Face coverings may protect others if you are transmitting the virus, but they are not a substitute for maintaining distance. </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keep gatherings small. If one person were to test positive shortly after the gathering, everyone at the gathering may need to quarantine. </span></li>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Positive cases with symptoms will need to disclose contacts from up to 48 hours before the onset of symptoms.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Positive cases without symptoms will need to disclose contacts from up to 10 days before getting tested.</span></li>
</ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cover coughs and sneezes.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stay home if you are sick. </span></li>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have not followed these guidelines for any reason, you may be more likely to transmit the virus to others. We urge you to refrain from interacting with vulnerable people, especially older family members and friends, if you have not practiced social distancing. We also encourage everyone who has not adhered to these guidelines to be tested at the state testing site on June 1 and 2. More information about this testing and how to register can be found </span><a href="https://dcphdo02redcap.azurewebsites.net/redcap/surveys/?s=FAMNRL3LF7&fbclid=IwAR0C1I18Z1dQQ941OTCnAP2ioXjq4gSfhrat4F7EcokYTSQQcOgAVKBQ_uQ"><span style="font-weight: 400;">here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"While the recent data is concerning, we have not yet reached a point where we feel it is necessary to tighten restrictions under a new public health order," said Stephanie Browning, director of Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services. "However, if we continue to see trends in which community transmission increases, we may need to invoke more mitigation efforts. PHHS will continue to closely monitor the status of our local health care and contact tracing systems to ensure they do not become overwhelmed." </span></p></div>
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