LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Growing numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths have caused concerns nationwide and physicians and scientists say face masks can slow the trend.
Adventist Health has joined 100 of the nation’s top health care systems, representing thousands of hospitals in communities across the U.S., to come together with an urgent plea for all Americans – mask up, because wearing a face mask is our nation’s best chance at slowing the surging COVID-19 pandemic now.
More than 11.5 million Americans have tested positive for the virus – including an additional one million in just the past week – leading to nearly 250,000 deaths.
Lake County has so far has seen a total of 17,363 tests completed, 823 confirmed cases, 18 deaths and 53 hospitalizations.
Officials said the current trends are daunting and frightening. If the nation stays on its current course, hospital leaders are increasingly concerned that more healthfcare facilities will be overwhelmed as shortages of healthy caregivers make it difficult to handle a rapidly increasing number of patients. Unfortunately, this is already happening in parts of the country.
The next several months will be critical, health care experts have said. Though there has been positive news about vaccine development, no one knows when those vaccines will be ready for widespread use. In the meantime, everyone must remain vigilant, take precautions and follow public health orders.
The country has reached a tipping point. The power to do what is right is now in the hands of everyone everywhere, officials said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points to recent studies that have shown face masks successfully limit spread of the COVID-19 virus. Wearing face masks protects in key ways: by protecting the wearer against inhalation of harmful pathogens and particulates and by preventing exposure of those around the wearer.
In addition to masking, the CDC suggests that everyone minimize the number of non-household contacts, maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet and limit the amount of time around others, especially while indoors and in poorly ventilated areas.
Further information about masking guidelines – how to choose a mask, how to properly wear a mask – is available on the CDC website.
Adventist Health Clear Lake joins thousands of top U.S. hospitals to encourage everyone to #MaskUp
- Lake County News reports
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