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Maricopa County health officials discuss operations, response during coronavirus pandemic response
Officials say it's not a money issue, but problems with the supply chain. And even though supplies have been sent from the federal stockpile, it's not nearly enough.
PHOENIX - Maricopa County is streamlining efforts, forming a joint command between public health and emergency management. This will help them secure personal protective equipment for hospital workers.
They say it's not a money issue, but problems with the supply chain. And even though supplies have been sent from the federal stockpile, it's not nearly enough.
Coronavirus in Arizona: Latest case numbers
On April 1, Maricopa County received its final allocation from the federal national stockpile, although helpful, these allocations are nowhere close to the needs of a community our size. To put this into perspective, our healthcare systems use about 544,000 surgical masks per week. For our entire allocation, we received 263,00 surgical masks," said Marcy Flanagan, Director of Public Health.
Officials say they will continue to carefully monitor hospital bed space throughout the county.
LIVE: Interactive Coronavirus case data and map
In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
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Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu.
Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.
RELATED: Is it the flu, a cold or COVID-19? Different viruses present similar symptoms
Right now there's one big difference between flu and coronavirus: A vaccine exists to help prevent the flu and it's not too late to get it. It won't protect you from catching the coronavirus, but may put you in a better position to fight it.
To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.
And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead, and ask if you need to be seen and where.
Continuing Coverage
FOX 10 is working to keep you up to date with local and national developments on COVID-19. Every weekday on FOX News Now, our live coverage begins at 7 a.m. MST reporting the latest news, prevention tips and treatment information.
You can watch live in your FOX 10 News app or on the FOX 10 Facebook page.
You can also get the latest coronavirus news from around the country at coronavirusnow.com.