Wicomico Health Department opens call center, holds community meeting for COVID-19
SALISBURY, Md. – As coronavirus fears continue to grow, Wicomico County health officials are reminding people that the most important thing you can do is not panic, but rather prepare.
“It’s a matter of us thinking ahead and being prepared,” said Wicomico County Health Department Public Information Officer, Jennifer Johnson.
“We know that this is likely to affect our area, just like it’s likely to affect every part of the country,” said Salisbury Mayor, Jake Day.
Which is why the Wicomico County Health Department held an informational meeting Tuesday, to educate emergency departments, health centers, city and county officials and more on what they can do to keep their community as healthy as possible.
“Do you have the capabilities for businesses to staff to work at home? Should you have regular meetings with a lot of people that come, or should you try and do more meetings over the phone,” said Johnson.
Salisbury City officials say they are taking the health departments’ recommendations seriously and will continue to monitor events that they have planned in the future.
“We’re monitoring the situation as we need to be. We are sort of in a pre-emergency phase not terribly dissimilar to pre-storm phase. We need to be smart. Wash your hands. Be cognizant in public, use hand sanitizer, cover your face,” said Day.
To help ease concern, the health department also announced the opening of their new call center where both residents and local physicians can call for information regarding the virus.
“Some are thinking, am I allowed to go out of my house? If I’m over 60 am I allowed out? With different questions like that, this is somewhere they can call and get that general information,” said Johnson.
The Wicomico County Health Department’s call center will be up and running Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM. Physicians and residents can contact the center at 410-341-4600. The Worcester County Health Department has a call center as well. That number is 410-632-4321. It is available during those same times.
