The staff of Keiro issued the following advisory.
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As of Wednesday, March 4, 2020, Los Angeles County and Orange County have declared a state of emergency following the recent confirmed cases of person-to-person transmission of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in California. This, alongside additional coverage from national health care organizations and media outlets, has elevated the concern for how COVID-19 will affect the quality of our lives.
In such uncertain times, Keiro is dedicated to supporting our community’s older adults to ensure the timely dissemination of preventive measures. Keiro encourages everyone to begin taking the first steps, as proactive self-managers, to protect both our loved ones and ourselves by obtaining accurate information as well as following recommended prevention practices such as:
• Washing your hands following the World Health Organization’s recommended guidelines
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces
• Considering “bumping elbows” in lieu of giving hugs or shaking hands with others
• Stay home if you are beginning to show signs of being sick and do not wait until you are very sick
• Continue to say up-to-date by accessing information from credible resources such as the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and your local government public health agencies
For a consolidated summary on the COVID-19 virus and prevention practices, please visit our website, which will be updated periodically. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Keiro at programs@keiro.org or call (213) 873-5700.
Additionally, we encourage everyone in our community safely reach out to socially isolated older adults through phone calls, text messages or emails, to ensure they are implementing the same preventive steps.
This update by Keiro Senior Care is a much needed service for our region and community.
There is heightened risk for community level transmission of this virus within the Southern California region related to travelers from areas battling the novel 2019 Coronavirus. This includes Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, and other nations.
Translation of the public health advisories into appropriate languages is needed as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there are insufficient tests available to appropriately sample and screen sections of at-risk populations in Southern California. Hopefully as the situation with access to testing improves, the ability to screen statistically significant sections of the community will become available.
Despite these risks and multiple attempts to encourage county, state, and federal authorities to translate US health directives and education materials into Japanese, Korean, Farsi, Italian, and other languages, some health agencies have yet to do so.