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<img src="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/healthlogo.jpg" alt="Booune County Missouri" width="137" height="130" style="float: right; margin-right: 0px; margin-left:20px;">
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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;">December 23, 2020</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 100%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Sara Humm
<br />Community Relations Specialist
<br />Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services
<br />Sara.Humm@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%;">Public Health Alert: Possible public exposure of coronavirus</h1>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services (PHHS) is alerting Boone County residents that they may have been exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 if they attended a Christmas party at Open Heart Baptist Church, 2519 N. Lake of the Woods Road, on Saturday, Dec. 19. People who were at the event are advised to monitor for symptoms consistent with the virus, as they may have been in close contact with someone who was infectious at that time.<br /><br />Those symptoms include:<br />
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<li>Fever or chills</li>
<li>Cough</li>
<li>Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing</li>
<li>Fatigue</li>
<li>Muscle or body aches</li>
<li>Headache</li>
<li>New loss of taste or smell</li>
<li>Sore throat</li>
<li>Congestion or runny nose</li>
<li>Nausea or vomiting</li>
<li>Diarrhea</li>
</ul>
Event attendees are advised to contact their health care provider and get tested if they develop symptoms. After being tested, remain at home away from others while awaiting results. Anyone who tests positive will be asked to isolate for a minimum of 10 days. <br /><br />Testing is available through a physician’s order. For more information on local testing sites, visit <a href="http://www.CoMo.gov/Health/Novel-Coronavirus-2019-COVID-19">CoMo.gov/Health/Novel-Coronavirus-2019-COVID-19</a>. This site also has written instructions for those who have been exposed to a person infected with COVID-19. <br /><br />In order to protect the health of Boone County residents, PHHS is issuing this release in an effort to inform those who may have been exposed to the virus and to prevent further spread. The possible exposure resulted from an inability to identify all possible close contacts. Further information will not be released in order to maintain the integrity of the ongoi
ng epidemiological investigation.</div>
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<div style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 20px; text-align:center;"><p>City of Columbia Vision<br>
<em>Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.</em></p>
<p>City of Columbia Mission<br>
<em>To serve the public through democratic, transparent and efficient government.</em></p>
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<p style="text-align:center;">-30-</p>
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