Prince William County Health District (PWHD) and the Office of Emergency Management recently reported on how the county is responding to COVID-19, and Virginia declared a state of emergency on March 12. PWHD Director Dr. Alison Ansher said that her agency’s incident management team is coordinating with surrounding jurisdictions and the Virginia Department of Health. The team is also engaging with hospitals, clinical providers, schools and other community partners. For the time being, County buildings are closed to public access and those employees who can telework will be doing so.
PWC Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Misner noted that the County is following its Emergency Operations Plan, and is ready to implement the county’s Continuity of Operations plan, if necessary. Current action items include:
- Placing COVID-19 informational signs and hand hygiene stations in county buildings with high traffic levels
- Working with suppliers to get adequate cleaning supplies in workplace
- Auditing protective gear for emergency responders
- Enhancing 9-1-1 call screening so that first responders can be properly prepared when responding to possible COVID-19 cases
- Increased cleaning frequency and protocols for County buildings
- Instructing each department head to review, and implement if necessary, their Continuity of Operations Plans (COOP), to include telework options
Supervisor Boddye will be announcing temporary protocols for the Occoquan District Office, to include virtual options for remaining engaged as we encourage the public to practice social distancing. If you experience symptoms, call your healthcare provider for testing instructions. Symptoms, which can range from mild to severe, may include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Older adults and people with chronic medical conditions are at higher risk for more serious complications, such as pneumonia, respiratory failure and multisystem organ failure.