The Mad River Valley Ambulance Service wants to ensure the public that the squad is ready for what COVID-19 brings to The Valley. The squad is prepared with appropriate protective equipment and is well trained to deal with this emergency. Those experiencing a life- or limb-threatening emergency should call 911. To keep first responders safe, so they may continue their work, people are asked to let the 911 operator know if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms in case they have COVID-19. Those who develop COVID-19 symptoms (see below) who have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or have recently traveled from an affected area should call the Vermont Department of Health at 802-863-7240.
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- The symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure.
What can people do to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
Wear a face mask if you are sick.
- You should wear a face mask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) or pets and before you enter a health care provider’s office.
- If the person who is sick is not able to wear a face mask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then people who live with the person who is sick should not stay in the same room with them, or they should wear a face mask if they enter a room with the person who is sick.
Cover coughs and sneezes.
- Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
- Throw used tissues in a lined trash can.
- Immediately wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or, if soap and water are not available, clean hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid sharing personal household items.
- Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels or bedding with other people or pets in your home.
- After using these items, they should be washed thoroughly with soap and water.
- Clean all high-touch surfaces every day.
Practice routine cleaning of high-touch surfaces.
- High-touch surfaces include counters, tabletops, door knobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and bedside tables.
- Disinfect areas contaminated with bodily fluids. Also, clean any surfaces that may have blood, stool or body fluids on them.
- Use a household cleaning spray or wipe according to the label instructions. Labels contain instructions for safe and effective use of the cleaning product including precautions people should take when applying the product, such as wearing gloves and making sure they have good ventilation during use of the product.
Testing for COVID-19.
As many have seen in the news media, test kits to confirm the presence of the virus are in very short supply and are only available to hospitals and health care providers who are prioritizing their use for patients with actual symptoms of the disease.
MRVAS does not have test kits. Please do not call MRVAS seeking a test for the virus.
