Health (MDH) announced March 17, 2020 that due to a national shortage of COVID-19 laboratory testing materials, the state is forced to make adjustments to its testing criteria to focus on the highest priority specimens, including hospitalized patients. Health care workers and those in congregate living settings such as long-term care will also be given high priority for COVID-19 testing. Due to this shortage of testing materials, all individuals need to take extreme precautions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
For individuals, who have the following symptoms: fever, cough, or shortness of breath, who are not able to be tested for COVID-19, should:
• Self-quarantine for 7 days after illness begins, or 72 hours after fever ends (without taking fever-reducing medications), and improvement of respiratory symptoms, whichever is longer.
• Isolate themselves from household members as much as possible.
• Stay home while they recover, if they are not severely ill. If they have severe underlying health conditions or are an older adult (over age 70), they should contact their health care provider to see if they have additional recommendations.
• Seek care if symptoms become severe. They should call ahead to their health care provider if possible prior to seeking care.
For residents, who do not have symptoms but have been in close contact* with someone who has symptoms, should:
• Self-quarantine for 14 days (extremely limit their activities in public) and monitor for symptoms.
*Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of a symptomatic person for a prolonged period of time; close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a health care waiting area with a symptomatic person OR having direct contact with infectious droplets (e.g., being coughed or sneezed on).
Without the ability to confirm infected COVID-19 individuals, the best way to reduce transmission at this time is to significantly reduce close contact with others through social distancing measures, including restricting:
• Large events where 50 people or more would gather including, but not limited to:
– Church services, weddings, funerals, visitations, staff trainings, etc.
• Events with more than 10 people, where the majority of participants are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, such as:
– Retirement facilities, assisted living facilities, group homes, senior centers, and support groups.
Please continue to protect yourself, family and others from getting and spreading respiratory illnesses, like the coronavirus, by practicing every day preventative behaviors including:
• Frequently wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
• Stay home when sick. Call your healthcare provider before going to see them.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects.
For more information on community mitigation strategies and underlying medical conditions that may increase the risk of serious COVID-19 for individuals of any age, visit: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/action.pdf
Todd County has set up a website with information for the public at: https://www.co.todd.mn.us/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/. As this is a rapidly changing situation please continue to check back to this website for updates.
The Minnesota Department of Health has set up the following hotlines to answer questions:
Community mitigation (schools, child care, business) questions: 651-297-1304 or 1-800-657-3504; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Health questions: 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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