Health And Safety Expo Canceled In New Lenox

NEW LENOX, IL — A severe weather spotter training, health and safety expo, touch-a-truck event scheduled for March 24 at Lincoln-Way West High School in New Lenox has been canceled. Event organizer Dan Martin said the decision is due to the coronavirus and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The National Weather Service Chicago office has canceled all scheduled severe weather spotter trainings through April 12.

Martin thanked those who helped in planning or were going to participate at the event.

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Take Virus Seriously, But Don't Panic: Illinois Doctor
Coronavirus In Illinois: What You Need To Know For March 12

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called SARS-Cov-2, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19, the illness caused by SARS-Cov-2, struck the U.S. on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now being spread from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.