A mask advisory was issued for Daviess County on Dec. 18 with an effective date of Dec. 20. The advisory was issued by Daviess County Health Department Administrator-RN Cheryl Alexander; Daviess County Commissioners Jim Ruse, Wayne Uthe, and David Cox; and Emergency Management Director David Roll.
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The advisory states “It is our duty to protect the health of our community so by issuing this ‘advisory’ we hope to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community, businesses and schools. Our numbers have continued to climb over the past two months with no relief in sight. As a group we want to encourage the use of a mask, especially if you are in a setting in which you cannot social distance.”
This advisory is for all persons age 2 and older who are in contact with other people who are not household members.
This advisory will begin Dec. 20, 2020, and will be reviewed on Jan. 20, 2021.
“Our positivity rate continues to be high, meaning we have a high level of transmission within our county,” said Cheryl Alexander, Administrator-RN at the Daviess County Health Department. “As the health department director, I can ‘mandate’ a mask, but I have always had the support of our community and hope to continue with this support by asking you to wear one voluntarily.”
The advisory encourages all businesses to post a sign at all entrances asking their patrons to wear a mask inside their facilities.
“We have had the policy in place at the health department for several months and I have not had opposition to this request,” says Alexander. “We must protect our employees as well as the public.”
As of Dec. 15, Daviess County had 454 cases but recorded 10 new cases by 10 a.m. on Dec. 16, 2020, so this gives you some idea of what the health department is dealing with on a daily basis.
When the health department has cases, many people have to be quarantined, including students from schools, which can cause a school to close down.
“I have been in contact with all school superintendents and they have one goal and that is to educate our children with as much normalcy as possible; this is certainly not a year of normal,” says Alexander. “We are all in this together so again I ask all residents over the age of 2 in Daviess County to voluntarily wear a mask when around others in your community; you may save a life by doing so. This is your community, and it is up to all of us to keep each other safe and healthy.”
Other strategies to stop the spread:
Alexander said the health department gets many calls about large gatherings in the community and although there is currently no mandate for gatherings, she encourages you to think about all the people who can become infected just from one positive case in a gathering. Just doing the strategies above will help along with a mask.