St. Clair County health officials are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best when it comes to the spread of the Coronavirus. Medical Health Officer Dr. Annette Mercatante says simple precautions can go a long way towards preventing the spread of the disease. Some of the best forms of prevention according to Mercatante are hand washing, covering your mouth when you cough, and to disinfect surfaces. “There’s no natural immunity, there’s no natural stop-gap,” said Mercatante. “So we’re using the public health stop-gaps.” Officials say anyone who has traveled to China in the last 14 days and has symptoms of respiratory illness should seek medical care. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has activated the community health emergency coordination center to support local and state health officials in the event of a spread.
