Monterey County agency activates Level 3 to support coronavirus response

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) The Monterey County Operation Area Emergency Operations Center has activated to Level 3 to help the Health Department and other local health agencies monitor and prepare for potential coronavirus cases.

According to the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services, Level 3 is the lowest level. It is used in situations that only require a few people or monitoring of a low-risk planned event initially, according to the agency.

In a statement, Monterey County officials said they have been preparing for the possibility of cases of the virus locally since December, and the preparation includes coordinating with hospitals, urgent care centers, medical providers, those working in labs and first responders. The county also said the Public Health Laboratory is prepared to provide testing for coronavirus locally when it receives testing materials form the CDC.

“While there is great public concern about this virus, there are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Monterey County residents, and the risk of being exposed to COVID-19 in our community is currently low,” said Dr. Edward Moreno, Monterey County Health Officer. “However, we should all take sensible measures to keep ourselves and our families healthy.”

The county is reminding residents to wash hands regularly for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching faces, clean and disinfect surfaces, stay at least 6 feet away from someone who is sick, consider delaying travel to areas experiencing outbreaks and getting a flu shot.

If you do get sick, the county asks that you stay home and away from public areas, cover coughs and sneezes with elbows, consider over-the-counter medications to reduce symptoms, only use emergency room visits for serious diseases and medical emergencies and call a medical provider before visiting the office.