Coronavirus Town Hall To Be Held In Chester County

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DOWNINGTOWN, PA — An upcoming town hall event addressing coronavirus will be held in Chester County later this month.

The public forum will include local and state health officials, police, and an infectious disease specialist.

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"Although no cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Pennsylvania, it’s important to stay vigilant and informed when it comes to human health to prevent widespread panic,” State Rep. Dan Williams (D-Chester), who is hosting the event, said in an announcement. "This event aims to set the record straight and provide attendees with the most accurate, up-to-date information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pennsylvania Department of Health."

The town hall will take place on Wednesday, March 18 at 7 p.m. at Downingtown Middle School.

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Guests speakers will include the Caln Township chief of police, the Chester County Health Director, and a representative from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

There will be a Q and A portion at the end of the presentations.

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There have been roughly 90,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus globally, and more than 3,000 deaths worldwide. There have not yet been any cases in Pennsylvania.

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What is coronavirus?

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.