BEAUMONT, Texas — Jefferson County commissioners held a workshop to address COVID-19 to learn more about the coronavirus and to figure how the county should move forward as concerns continue to grow.
Dozens packed the inside of the commissioners courtroom.
During this hour-long workshop, doctors, the Coast Guard, and elected officials all spoke about things they're doing to try to prevent the spread of the virus.
Currently, there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Jefferson County.
After the meeting, 12News caught up with Dr. Callas, who believes local businesses such as bars and gyms should close.
"I think we should maintain some economic strength in the city like maybe take-out only but to sit there and have a lot of people congregating is not smart because you don't know if you're infected or if someone is going to be infecting some other people," Callas said.
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Right now, there are no mandates for local businesses to shut down like you might have seen in other cities across the country.
There are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in our immediate area.
Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
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Human coronaviruses are usually spread through...
- The air by coughing or sneezing
- Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
- Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
Help stop the spread of coronavirus
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Eat and sleep separately from your family members
- Use different utensils and dishes
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hand.
- If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.