7th COVID-19 case in county
Monday, the Dubois County Health Department confirmed the seventh positive case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dubois County.
“We are working closely with ISDH and local officials to ensure that contacts of the patient are identified and monitored,” the health department stated in a press release. “Anyone who may have an exposure risk has been notified about potential exposures so that appropriate infection control procedures can be followed. The patient is in isolation. No additional information about the patient will be released due to privacy laws.”
“Everyone needs to continue making sacrifices to defeat this incessant viral enemy,” said Dr. Ted Waflart, Dubois County Health Officer. “Things are going to get worse before they start getting better. We all need to stay strong and support each other and continue our relentless effort to: STAY HOME, Stay at least six feet apart from each other and wash hands frequently, especially after handling something from outside the home.”
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that people wear cloth face coverings to cover nose and mouth when out in the community setting especially in situations where you are around other people. Wearing a homemade fabric face mask, for example, is to protect people around you if you are infected but do not have symptoms of COVID-19.
Face coverings are NOT a substitute for social distancing and should not encourage false security to leave home. When there is an essential need to leave home (pharmacy, groceries), social distancing, of staying at least six feet away, is still needed. The cloth face mask may prevent the spread of the virus from spreading to others.
The Dubois County Health Department continues to encourage and remind everyone that we should assume all people are potentially spreading the COVID-19 virus.
STAY HOME, PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND GOOD HAND HYGIENE. #INthistogether #StayHome
“Anyone who may have an exposure risk has been notified about potential exposures so that appropriate infection control procedures can be followed.”
Unfortunately, though, there is no way to reliably track the whereabouts of this or any other infected individual over a 2-week (or more) period. Has this person shopped at IGA? Gone to Walgreens? Used an ATM? Pumped his or her own gas? Has he or she walked in and out of a take-out restaurant or used a dry cleaning establishment, etc., and touched door knobs or punched codes into a payment system?
Medical privacy is great and understandable under normal circumstances, but as I said in another post…a deadly virus ripping through communities across the US is anything BUT normal.
There are far too many businesses still operating on violation of the executive closure order. JR’s bar and Smoker Friendly are two examples.
Some establishments are taking this seriously by implementing safety precautions or closing altogether.
When it comes to the day when we may return to a sense of normalcy, please support those businesses that took our health and safety seriously, because these places are a shining example of community stewardship.
Please, Dr. Waflart, start enforcing the measures that are, in your own words, essential. Any good parent knows that without reinforcement, any and all rules are pointless to even speak of and it weakens the position of authority.
The Governor issued a new order today. It’s available here in the Dubois county free press.
You will find information on how to report businesses in violation of the new order.
There are NO privacy laws prohibiting the release of various other/similar information as was done with infection #3 or 4, whichever it was – such as where and/or how the transmission occurred, when, how long ago, etc. What’s the matter with you people? This isn’t NY or elsewhere with hundreds/thousands of cases impossible to convey – this is Dubois County, IN!
There’s nothing special about Dubois county! Public health officials still have to follow the HIPPA law.
You receive a copy of it when you go to a new doctor.
If you’re going to be snarky to people, at least get it right. HIPAA. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
I apologize if that’s what you thought. My comment was to educate you about the reasons why names are not given. I know what HIPPA stand for, but do you know what it means?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the HIPAA Privacy Rule to implement the requirements of HIPAA. The HIPAA Security Rule protects a subset of information covered by the Privacy Rule.
This isn’t the time to be “snarky”. Like everyone says, we’re in this together.
What most ignorant people dont realize is that you are not an “essential” employee , you are collateral damage if you get sick from this ! Wake up people ! They do not care as long as you work as long as possible to line the pockets of corporate greed !