The Covid 19 pandemic is raising many questions and giving rise to even more rumors. Should this disease reach Rush County, Rush Memorial Hospital is prepared to execute an emergency management plan that has been in place for many years. This plan is part of an integrated county and state level plan that has been approved by the Department of Homeland Security. It reflects a team approach to emergency management, involving cooperation with other local resources, such as the Rush County Office of Emergency Management and other Rush County emergency responders. The plan also includes the ability to get additional resources from the state and federal governments should the need arise. In the meantime, RMH has set up an RMH Covid-19 Task Force that is meeting daily to manage day to day operations, plan for potential needs and support our teams and our patients.

The Covid 19 situation is changing rapidly. Some of this is due to the disease itself, and some of this is due to the reaction of people to the way that the disease is being portrayed by the media, social media and friends and neighbors.

There are many rumors circulating about Covid 19. Some of them are more believable than others. Some exaggerate the seriousness of the situation and some underestimate it. The only “cure” for rumors is valid information from a reliable healthcare authority. In the United States, the ultimate source of healthcare authority, from an information perspective, is the Center for Disease Control (the CDC), which can be found at www.cdc.gov. Up to date information on the numbers of those affected in Indiana can be obtained from the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) at https://www.in.gov/isdh/28470.htm

It is impossible to vet every news channel and every media story for truth and reliability. It is very easy to go to the websites listed above and read the latest confirmed information.

There are many coronaviruses that have been around for a very long time, such as the common cold. Covid 19 is a new strain or type of the general class of viruses known as “coronaviruses”. Covid 19 is new, and it is very contagious, but it is not a serious threat to everyone. The vast majority of those who become ill will experience only mild symptoms and recover without complications. According to the CDC, those most at risk for a serious Covid 19 illness are older adults and those who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease. The main purpose of restricting exposure to the disease is to protect these most vulnerable members of society from the dangers the disease poses to them.

If you go to the CDC website, and find that you have a question that is not answered there, it is most likely because the answer is not yet known. With any new disease, it takes time for research to discover all the facts. Regardless of your level of anxiety, it is better to wait for research to answer your question than it is to turn to unreliable reports that give “answers” based on false or misleading information.