Labor Day Reminder: Coronavirus is Still Prevalent
CENTRAL COAST, CA – September 1, 2020 – As we near the Labor Day holiday on September 7, 2020, Dignity Health Central Coast wants to remind our community how to stay safe and protected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises individuals to minimize exposure and the spread of coronavirus as communities begin to hold events.
While we may be growing tired of the disruption coronavirus has on our daily lives, the COVID-19 pandemic is not behind us, and we urge community members to continue to make their health and safety a priority. The more people an individual interacts with at a gathering and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and spreading the virus to others.
We are prepared and ready to provide for the health and safety of our patients, and want to remind our community members to take the proper steps to protect themselves and their loved ones. The only successful remedy for slowing the spread of the virus is by taking appropriate precautions. We urge community members to continue to make their health and safety a priority by:
- Wearing a mask or face covering when outside your home and coming into contact with others.
- Keeping a distance of six feet between you and others outside your home.
- Washing your hands often.
- Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Staying home when you are sick.
“As COVID-19 cases remain prevalent in our communities, as they are across the nation, we are calling on individuals to follow the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and county public health departments,” says Dignity Health Central Coast Chief Medical Officer, Scott Robertson, MD. “While they are simple steps that community members can take, they are life-saving and are proved to minimize exposure to the virus. During holiday weekends such as Labor Day, we are asking people to follow these precautionary measures.”
The CDC states that the risk of spreading at events and gatherings increases as follows:
- Lowest risk: Virtual-only activities, events, and gatherings.
- More risk: Smaller outdoor and in-person gatherings in which individuals from different households remain spaced at least 6 feet apart, wear cloth face coverings, do not share objects, and come from the same local area.
- Higher risk: Medium-sized in-person gatherings that allow individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and with attendees coming from outside the local area.
- Highest risk: Large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and attendees travel from outside the local area.
Dignity Health Central Coast has taken extensive measures to ensure the continued safety of our patients and staff, and if we all do our part to stay safe, together we can make an impact on reducing COVID-19 cases in our community.
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About Dignity Health Central Coast
Dignity Health Central Coast is comprised of five award-winning hospitals, all recognized for their quality of care, safety and service, primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically advanced imaging centers, outpatient services, and comprehensive home health services. Hospitals in the Dignity Health Central Coast region include Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo, and St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. Each hospital is supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to provide additional funding to support new programs and services, as well as to advance the community’s access to health care. For more information, visit dignityhealth.org/centralcoast.
Publish date:
Tuesday, September 01, 2020