Report by Paula Antolini, March 22, 2020, 5:53PM EDT
First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker has just confirmed there are two cases of the Coronavirus / COVID-19 in Bethel that have been reported to Bethel officials. He said, “State DPH informed us that there are 2 confirmed cases. There is no other information about them. The info. you’re asking for is protected under Federal HIPAA laws. Therefore, we are not giving that info.”
Town of Bethel COVID-19 Update March 21, 2020
Today Bethel officials were notified by state health officials that several confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Bethel. At present the individuals involved are under the care of their personal physicians and following the treatment and isolation guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. Bethel residents are strongly urged to follow the CDC guidelines outlined below.
Help prevent the spread of COVID 19. Please use personal protection measures, practice social distancing, stay home if you are sick and call your doctor if you have respiratory symptoms *(fever, cough, shortness of breath), to reduce the spread of COVID 19.
Persons with fever and cough or shortness of breath should be treated as if they have COVID-19 even if no test is conducted; their contacts should also be treated as being exposed to COVID-19.
Person’s considered to have COVID-19 are being asked to self isolate, use the CDC Home Isolation guidance to avoid exposure to other family members until recovery of illness symptoms. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
Health Care Practitioners will guide Person’s with COVID-19 who have symptoms and were directed to care for them at home about discontinuance of isolation following CDC guidance (nontest-based strategy):
At least 3 days (72 Hours) have passed since recovery defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath);
and,
At least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. See CDC link
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home patients.html
Residents exposed to a potential or confirmed COVID-19 case are asked to self isolate for 14 days to ensure that COVID-19 is not spread to others. If a person who is monitoring their symptoms becomes ill, then they should contact their doctor and follow the isolation guidance above. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
Your doctor will work with you using the CDC Current guidance for release from isolation can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html
The CT Department of Public Health is working with us and high risk entities (e.g. hospitals/healthcare settings) to ensure that public health protection and prevention of COVID-19 disease spread is effectively managed in town.
Your doctor will work with you using the CDC Current guidance for release from isolation can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html
Additional information:
Bethel Infoline: 203-794-8530 – 8:00 am – 4:00 pm M-F https://www.bethel-ct.gov/
https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Public-Health-Preparedness/Main-Page/2019-Novel-Coronavirus
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
We appreciate your collaboration and partnership to stay safe through this challenging time.