The City of Bangor and Bangor's Community Health Leadership Board, including local healthcare organizations such as Northern Light Health, Penobscot Community Health Care, and St. Joseph Hospital, are actively planning to address the public health emergency caused by COVID-19 also known as the Coronavirus. CHLB organizations have actively been planning. Local hospitals and clinics are actively preparing, they have been for many weeks, and will over the weekend. They have activated emergency preparedness procedures and they are prepared to screen and test patients in all locations, if needed based on the symptoms of the patient. If you believe you have coronavirus, call your doctor. If you are very sick and unable to see your physician, go to the emergency room.
We ask for your help in slowing the spread of the virus by doing the following:
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throw it in the trash
- Wash hands frequently, soap and water are as effective as hand sanitizer
- Stay home if you are sick
- Make a plan to stay home for a period of time; have food and extra medicine on hand
- If you are sick and need care, call your primary care provider
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using regular household cleaning spray
Eighty percent of people who get this infection recover at home and don’t require medical help. Staying informed and following the advice above will go a long way to reducing the amount of infection in our community and will help protect all of us.
To stay informed, go to these credible sources:
Federal CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Maine CDC: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus.shtml
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
This is an evolving situation. We will continue to keep the public updated as conditions warrant.
Bangor's Community Health Leadership Board (CHLB) members include: Northern Light Health - Eastern Maine Medical Center; St Joseph Healthcare; Penobscot Community Health Care; Bangor Public Health and Community Services; Northern Light Health - Acadia Hospital; Penquis; Community Health and Counseling Services; Eastern Area Agency on Aging; City of Bangor; Bangor Public Schools.
For more information about this release or the community’s joint response to regional concerns about COVID-19 please contact:
Suzanne Spruce, Northern Light Health, sspruce@northernlight.org
Kelly David, St Joseph Healthcare, kdavid@covh.org