Dear Three Rivers Community Schools Families -

Hello, this is Rebecca Burns, Health Officer at Your Local Health Department.  We would like to ask for your help as a local school and community leader to please share the following message.  There is community transmission of COVID-19 in St. Joseph county and our number of positive individuals is currently rising rapidly.  On Friday, June 12th there were 163 total known cases in St. Joseph county and today we are ending the week with 197.  This is a total increase of 34 new cases or a 21% increase in just one week.  Folks, we are losing to this virus right now.  There are several things that you can do to help:

• Wear a mask when you are out in the public and insist that your family members do as well.  This sets the example.
• When you are inside with other people (not immediate family) for any period of time (such as at the store), wear a mask and if others are not wearing a mask, consider leaving.
• Now is not a good time to bring people together for meetings or trainings, hold these by Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.
• Do not congregate in groups.
• Continue to practice social distancing.

There is misinformation about testing.  If you are a close contact to a person with a known case of COVID-19, you must go into quarantine for 14 days.  Even if you get tested sometime within that 14 day period and the result is negative you must complete the entire 14 day period of quarantine.  The time frame within which you might develop symptoms is 2-14 days.  Some believe that if they test negative in the 14 day period that they are clear.  This is not correct. 

Students athletes and their coaches are wanting to get back to practice/conditioning.  Please make sure that everyone is following the MHSAA guidance and that there is nothing going on inside. 

Thank you in advance for your assistance.  The last thing we want St. Joseph county to be known for, is as the new hot-spot in Michigan.

Rebecca

Rebecca A. Burns, M.P.H., R.S.
Health Officer
Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency "Your Local Health Department"
570 Marshall Rd, Coldwater, MI  49036
P: 517-933-3040  F:  517-278-2923  C:  269-501-2503
E: burnsr@bhsj.org

Visit:  www.bhsj.org for Public Health Resources & Events