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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14, 2020
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Surging number of virus cases forces change in contact tracing A spike in Rock County COVID-19 cases in September prompted Rock County Public Health Department officials to implement “crisis standards” last week. In September, 933 new COVID-19 cases were reported to the health department, almost double the number of cases reported in a single month since the beginning of the pandemic, officials said in a news release. The onslaught of cases “created an overwhelming number of cases and close contacts,” the release said. “We are no longer able to conduct the same level of contact tracing that we would during a typical outbreak,” Health Officer Marie-Noel Sandoval said in the release. “This pandemic has reached a level in Rock County that has forced us to begin to implement crisis standards of practice as suggested by Dr. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer and state epidemiologist for communicable diseases.” Westergaard released a memo to health departments on Sept. 15 providing possible modifications to the ideal standard for disease investigation and contact tracing. “These modifications can help meet critical contact tracing needs and minimize the risk of further virus spread given the current resources available,” the release said. Health officials are asking Rock County residents to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the community. How you can help If you have tested positive for COVID-19: • Answer your phone. A public health nurse or contact tracer will be contacting you to ask about your
Farmers group hosts online civics forum
The South Central Chapter of the Wisconsin Farmers Union is offering an online/call-in forum, “A Very Timely Civics Roadshow,” this month. “Open to all and based on the teaching principle, ‘There’s no such thing as a dumb question,’ the forum won’t be a lecture or class. Instead, it will be a group of citizens getting questions answered, letting others hear their voices, learning something new, or becoming aware of opportunities for leadership,” according to a news release. Both upcoming sessions will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. On Oct. 15, the discussion will center on how the farmers union develops its state policy through a grassroots democratic process. On Oct. 22, members of the League of Women Voters will lead a discussion of the Constitution and voting. You must be registered to attend. To register, send an email to wfusouthcentral@gmail.com. You will receive a Zoom link for each week’s forum.
symptoms and provide you with guidance and resources. • Notify your close contacts. A close contact is anyone with whom you have had physical contact or who has been within 6 feet of you for 15 minutes or more. Talk to anyone who was a close contact two days before you started to have symptoms until you began your quarantine or
isolation. Let them know that you tested positive for COVID-19 and instruct them to quarantine for at least 14 days. A public health nurse or contact tracer will be calling them to follow up. • Stay home. Stay home and away from household members until you finish your isolation period.
If you have been told by someone who tested positive that you are a close contact: • Stay home and self-quarantine. You should quarantine for at least 14 days. A public health nurse or contact tracer will be calling you to follow up. If you have not tested positive and are not a close contact:
• Avoid gatherings. Do not attend events such as sporting competitions, birthdays or tailgate parties. • Wear a mask or face covering. Face coverings limit the chances of spreading the virus from person to person. • Maintain physical distance.
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This informative program is for families, friends and caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. It is designed to enhance your understanding of the disease; how it affects those who have it; and how to effectively deal with it day-to-day.
Thursday, November 5th Virtual Presentation
Finding balance when busy seems to be the only word you know: thoughts for those who care for others. Thanksgiving every day: adding joy to your life by adopting an attitude of gratitude. Keri Olson
9 - 11:30 am Registration deadline is November 2, 2020. Register by emailing teena-monk-gerber@ alzwisc.org or by calling 608-843-3544. Free and open to the public.
Keri Olson is a three-time cancer survivor of benign neurological tumors including one that caused temporary chest-down paralysis. Keri is also a former family caregiver, sharing her wisdom with audiences about blessing and joy.
Community resources: what every caregiver should know.
Pam Kul-Berg
Teena Monk-Gerber
Teena Monk-Gerber, Dementia Outreach Specialist with the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin (ADAW) and Pam Kul-Berg, Dementia Care Specialist with the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Green County (ADRC) will partner to present this session.
The gift of presence: how we are present to a person with dementia changes as their condition changes them. Through sharing stories, Shirley Kelter, Chaplain at Monroe Clinic, will offer ideas on how to be present in meaningful ways. Shirley Kelter
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