Coronavirus In MA: Andover Community Update On New Virus

ANDOVER, MA — Andover's town government and school district issued a community update on the new coronavirus Wednesday evening. The update notes that the risk of the new virus to the public in Massachusetts remains low, and there is only one presumptive case in Essex County, according to public health officials. The town's Emergency Management Team is meeting regularly to monitor and respond to the outbreak.

The town will be issuing daily briefings on the situation, according to the update. They will be released through all the town's communication channels, including "town and school websites, Andover Newsflash, the Andover Public Schools Community Email list and social media." It will be distributed whether or not there is new information.

"The Town continues to receive inquiries about whether group activities should be cancelled. The situation is fluid and subject to change several times per day," the update continued. "The Town will make recommendations concerning group activities based on the totality of information available at any point in time and will continue to have a measured response."

The town has also launched a web page with updated information from the town and schools, available here.

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MA Coronavirus Cases Hit 95, More Than 1,000 Quarantined

What is a state of emergency and what does it mean for me?

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 COVID-19, 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 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring 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 it 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, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

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Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.