There are a number of effective steps you can take to protect your health as well as the health of your family:

• Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after using the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose or sneezing.
• Use hand sanitizer effectively with an adequate amount for the hands to be wet and scrubbed for 20 seconds.  Keep rubbing until dry.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Routinely disinfect commonly used surfaces such as door knobs, handles, countertops, electronic devices, touch screens, and cell phones.
• Masks are recommended as a way to protect each other against COVID-19.

All other flu prevention steps can be used to prevent COVID-19.  

Resources:

• Poster, CDPH, COVID-19 Prevention Tips, 8.5 x 11, Mar. 18, 2020     
• Hand washing video, Mar. 5, 2020
• Disinfectants (Antimicrobials) for use against COVID-19, Mar. 5, 2020

COVID-19 produces a wide range of symptoms ranging from mild to severe illness, usually within 2-14 days after exposure:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

 Seek Medical Attention immediately if you have any of these emergency warning signs* for COVID-19

  1. Have you been in contact with someone who has COVID? Assume people with COVID symptoms have COVID.

If yes, go to question 2. If no, you have not been exposed.

2. Were you in the same indoor airspace (home, clinic waiting room, airplane, etc) for a total of 15 cumulative minutes? Exposure can be cumulative over the period of a day. For example, 5 minutes exposure + 5 minutes exposure + 5 minutes exposure over one day would equal an exposure. 

If yes, go to question 3. If no, you have not been exposed.

3. Did they have symptoms when you were with them?

If yes, you were exposed. See "What to Do if You Are Exposed to COVID-19" (Calif. Dept. of Public Health link). If no, go to question 4. 

4. Did they develop symptoms within 2 days (48 hours) after you were with them? If yes, you were exposed. See "What to Do if You Are Exposed to COVID-19" (Calif. Dept. of Public Health link).  For example, if you saw the COVID-positive person on July 1 and they developed symptoms on July 2 or 3, you are exposed. If they did not develop symptoms until July 4 or later, you were not exposed. 

5. If the COVID positive person never develop symptoms, were you within the same airspace of that person for at least 15 cumulative minutes during the two days before their test date?

If yes, you were exposed and need to quarantine. If no, you have not been exposed.

 Anyone may feel fine today but could develop symptoms in the next day or two. Anyone could be contagious today without knowing it. That is why it is so important for us to follow the guidance, be in a well  ventilated room  and wear a mask 

• Looking for something not shown here? Go to the California Dept. of Public Health (CDPH) Guidance webpage
• Have questions about a CDPH guidance? Ask it at the CDPH Inquiry Portal webpage

COVID-19 Glossary of terms

Airborne transmission:  transmission of a microorganism where droplet nuclei (residue from evaporated droplets) or dust particles containing microorganisms can remain suspended in air for long periods of time.  The organism’s must be capable of surviving for long periods of time outside the body and must be resistant to drying.

Asymptomatic:  presenting no symptoms of disease.  In the case of COVID-19, this means absence of fever, dry cough, sore throat, shortness of breath and body aches.  It is recommended that individuals do not get tested unless they exhibit symptoms because the risk of false negatives. 

CD:  “Communicable Disease” or CD, is a branch of the Health Department that works to promptly identify, prevent and control infectious diseases that pose a threat to public health, including emerging and re-emerging infectious disease, vaccine-preventable agents bacterial toxins, bioterrorism, and pandemics. 

CDC:  “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” or CDC, is the leading national public health institute of the United States.  It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

CDPH:  “California Department of Public Health” or CDPH, is the state department responsible for public health in California.  It is a subdivision of the California Health and Human Services Agency.  It enforces some of the laws in the California Health and Safety Codes, notably the licensing of some types of healthcare facilities.

CFR:  “Case Fatality Rate” or CFR, is the proportion of deaths from a certain disease compared to the total number of people diagnosed with the disease for a certain period of time.

CalREDIE: “The California Reportable Disease Information Exchange”, is a secure system that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has implemented for electronic disease reporting and surveillance. 

Clinical trial:  research experiments on human participants designed to answer questions about new treatments; in the case of COVID-19 and coronaviruses, the safety and efficacy of a potential vaccine.

Community spread:  the spread of a contagious disease in a geographic area in which there is no knowledge of how someone contracted the disease.  In other words, no known contact can be traced to other infected individuals.

Comorbidity:  the simultaneous presence of two chronic diseases or conditions in a patient.

Containment:  is a plan that public health officials use to stop the rapid spread of a contagious disease like COVID-19.  This includes using contact tracing to find and isolate sick individuals and quarantine individuals.  Madera County COVID-19 Containment Algorithm 

Contract tracing:  identifying and monitoring people who may have come into contact with an infectious person.  In the case of COVID-19, monitoring usually involves self-quarantine as an effort to control the spread of disease.

Coronavirus:  a family of viruses that include SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) as well as other respiratory illnesses.  A coronavirus, also known as a CoV, is typically spread between animals and humans – an event known as zoonotic transfer – and they are named for the term ‘corona’ – Latin for crown – which refers to the shape of the virus when observed microscopically. 

COVID-19:  stands for novel coronavirus disease 2019, which refers to the year of its initial detection.  COVID-19 is the illness related to the current pandemic; the illness is caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2).

Epidemic: a widespread occurrence of an infection disease in a community or geographic area. 

Epidemiology:  a branch of medicine which deals largely with public health, including the incidence, distribution, analysis and control of diseases.

FRI:  “Febrile Respiratory Illness” or FRI, is defined as new or worsening episode of either cough or shortness of breath, presenting with fever or chills in the previous 24 hours.

Flattening the curve:  an attempt to create a more gradual uptick of cases, rather than a steep rise, in an effort to avoid overburdening the health care system all at once.  Notably, “flattening the curve” does not necessarily decrease the projected number of cases, but spreads them out over a period of time.

HCW:  “Healthcare Worker” or HCW.

Immunosuppressed:  an individual who experiences reduced efficacy of the immune system as a result of health conditions not related to COVID-19 disease.  People who are immunosuppressed are at greater risk for hospitalization and severe sickness form SARS-CoV2 virus.

Incubation period:  the time between when an individual is first exposed to the virus and the appearance of symptoms.  A person level of contagion before symptoms arise is not known, although most experts believe people are most contagious after they begin exhibiting symptoms. 

Index case:  the first documented case of an infectious disease. 

Index patient:  the first person infected with a disease in an epidemic.  Interchangeable with the term “patient zero”. 

Intubation:  the insertion of a tube into a patient’s body, especially that of an artificial ventilation tube into the trachea.

Isolation:  separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.  Isolation is usually voluntary, but in an emergency, officials have the authority to isolate people who are sick. 

Lockdown:  an emergency measure in which individuals are restricted from certain areas in an attempt to control exposure or transmission of disease.  In a lockdown during an epidemic, individuals are encouraged to stay home.

MCH:  “Madera Community Hospital”, or MCH, is a hospital located in the city of Madera.

Mitigation:  when containment is no longer effective at controlling the spread of disease, public health officials use mitigation strategies to lessen the impact of the contagious disease.  Some mitigation efforts include promoting more social distancing, limiting large gatherings at which the disease might spread, and potentially even closing schools or canceling sporting events.

N95:  Particulate respirator type N95, is a particulate respirator with a filter that meets the N95 air filtration rating, meaning that it filters at least 95% of airborne particles but is not resistant to oil.  It is the most common particulate filtering face piece respirator.

National emergency:  a state of emergency resulting from the global threat of the pandemic. 

Novel coronavirus:  a new strain of coronavirus, or nCoV that has never been detected in humans.

PPE:  “Personal Protective Equipment”, or PPE, is specialized clothing and equipment used as a safeguard against health hazard including exposure to infection disease through physical contact or airborne particles.  PPE is designed to protect parts of the body typically exposed to normal attire, including the nose, mouth, eyes, hands and feet.  Notably, N95 respirators are considered ideal for health care workers who may be exposed to SARS-CoV2.

PUI:  a “person under investigation”, is an individual who is suspected of potentially having COVID-19.

Pandemic:  a worldwide spread of an infectious disease, with larger reach than an epidemic.  Until COVID-19, the last pandemic was the H1N1 influenza outbreak in 2009.

Patient zero:  the first individual infected with a disease during an epidemic.

Person-to-person transmission:  when a virus is spread between people, including physical contact or coughing and sneezing.  This is in contrast to when a virus is spread via animals or through contaminated objects or surfaces.

Presumptive positive case:  an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 by a local public health lab, but whose results are awaiting confirmation from the CDC.

Probable case:  a case where contact tracing findings consistent with COVID-19 ground glass opacities or the patient has had close contact with a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19

Quarantine:  separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.  Quarantined people may or may not become sick; but separating them from those who were never exposed helps prevent the spread of the disease.  Quarantine can be voluntary, but in an emergency, officials have the authority to quarantine people who have been exposed to an infectious disease.

RCT:  “Rapid Contact Tracing” or RCT, is the process of identifying and monitoring people who may have come into contact with an infectious person.  In the case of COVID-19, monitoring usually involves self-quarantine as an effort to control the spread of disease.

R₀:  in epidemiology, the basic reproduction number of an infection.  The expected number of cases directly generated by one case in a population where all individuals are susceptible to infection. 

Respirator:  a device designed to protect individuals from inhaling something hazardous in the air, in this case, particulate that may be contaminated with the SARS-CoV2 virus.

SARS-CoV2:  the virus fully defined as “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” causes the disease COVID-19.

Screening:  the act of verifying symptoms and potential exposure before testing for the virus.

Self-isolation:  the act of separating oneself from others.

Self-quarantine:  the act of refraining from any contact with other individuals for a period of time – in the case of COVID-19, two weeks – to observe whether any symptoms of the disease will arise after potential exposure. 

Shelter-in-place:  typically issued by local government, a shelter-in-place asks residents to remain at home and only leave to perform duties deemed essential in an effort to slow transmission of and exposure to the virus.

Social distancing:  the act of remaining physically apart in an effort to stem transmission of COVID-19.  Social distancing can include a move to remote work, the cancellation of events and remaining at least six feet away from other individuals.

Super-spreader:  a highly contagious individual who can spread an infectious disease to a large number of uninfected people through a network of contacts.

Suspect case:  a patient who is symptomatic with a pending test.

Symptomatic:  showing symptoms of COVID-19, which can include a fever, dry cough, shortness of breath and body aces.  Health officials believe the risk of transmitting the virus is highest when an individual is symptomatic.

Vaccine:  a biological preparation of organisms that provides immunity to a particular infections disease.  Currently, there is no vaccine for COVID-19.

Ventilator:  a machine designed to move air in and out of the lungs for a patient who is physically unable to breathe or who is not breathing well.  COVID-19 can cause severe lower respiratory infection, ventilators are a critical machine for patients with severe disease.

WHO:  World Health Organization, is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.  It is part of the U.N. Sustainable Development Group.

MCDPH Communications Contact Information

(559) 514-4857  
(Phone attended Mon - Fri, 8 - 5)
phmedia@maderacounty.com

Many thanks to our Media Partners for helping to spread the work about COVID-19 in Madera County.   See the COVID Case Dashboard for current case information; previous news releases are shown below. 

COVID-19 News Releases & Recorded Events

• MCDPH May 13, 2022 COVID Test to Treat Site now at Madera Fairgrounds:  English | Español 
• MCDPH  March 28, 2022 Your Shot at Fun! COVID-19 Vaccine Sweepstakes:  English | Español 
• MCDPH March 18, 2022 4 Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Omicron BA.2 in Madera County: English | Español 
• MCDPH & Fresno Public Health Jan. 7, 2022 Stay Home When Sick 
• MCDPH Jan. 04, 2022 1st Omicron Case in Madera County: English | Español  
• MCDPH Nov.04 COVID-19 Vaccines for Children 5-11:  English |  Español 
• MCDPH Oct.25 Boosters for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson: English |  Español
• MCDPH Sep.01 Vaccine Deals business discounts:  English  |  Español 
• MCDPH Jul. 02 "Refer A Friend" Vaccination Incentive:  English | Español 
• MCDPH May 18 Masking Statements:  English | Español 
• MCDPH Apr. 02  Ages 16+ eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations in Madera County English | Español 
• MCDPH Mar. 23 Facebook live - COVID Vaccines, English 
• MCDPH Mar. 23 Variant B.1.1.7 detected in Madera County English | Español 
• MCDPH Mar. 16 Expanded eligibility English | Español  
• MCDPH Feb. 17 Vaccine eligibility & Employer Surveys, English | Español
• MCDPH Jan. 26 Vaccination Clinics reopen, English | Español 
• MCDPH Jan. 21  Vaccination Clinics Cancelled/lack of vaccine, English | Español
• MCDPH Jan. 12, 2021  Phase 1A expanded & Vaccine Volunteers Wanted, English | Español
• San Joaquin Valley Public Health Consortium New Regional Website, 7/14/20 English | Español
• MCDPH Confirms 8th COVID Death, 7/8/20 English | Español
• MCDPH Confirms 2 COVID Related Deaths, 7/6/20, English | Español
• MCDPH Confirms 5th OVID Related Death, 6/22/20, English | Español
• MCDPH Confirms 24 cases, 6/16/20, English | Español
• MCDPH 3rd COVID-19 related death, 6/2/20 English | Español
• MCDPH New Testing Site at Madera Fairgrounds, 05/27/20
• MCDPH Churches & Salons now open in Madera County, 5/26/20
• MCDPH Madera County Approved to Accelerate into later stage 2, 5/20/20 English | Español 
• MCDPH Rapid COVID Testing starts at Public Health Lab, 4/28/20 
• MCSO Operation Room key, 4/7/20 
• MCDPH Letter Carrier, 4/3/20 2:15pm
• MCDPH 1 Death, 3 new cases, 3/26/20
• MCDPH 1 new case, 3/25/20 4:15 pm 
• MCDPH Call 311 for COVID, 3/25/20 
• MCDPH 3 new cases, 3/23/20 
• Madera County Dept. of Public Health 2nd Confirmed Case, 3/19/20 2 pm
• Madera County Dept. of Public Health Order, 3/19/20, 5:45 pm
• Madera County Department of Public Health Emergency Declaration, 3/16/20
• Madera County Department of Public Health Reports Confirmed Case of Coronavirus/COVID-19, 3/7/20

Vaccine Discussion for 5 to 11 with Madera County Communicable Disease and Pediatric Specialists

 Madera Unified School District Town Hall Video COVID Vaccines for 5 to 11 11/17/21:  English | Spanish.  Featuring panelists Public Health Officer Simon Paul, MD; Medical Director of Valley Children's Primary Care Pediatrician Carmela Sosa, MD;  Madera Family Medical Group President Pediatrician  Dr. Aftab Naz. 

Contact Tracing

LA Times video on Madera County Dept. of Public Health Contact Tracing, 05/05/2020

Contact tracing with Sheriff Varney & Public Health Epidemiologist, 04/14/2020

Facebook Live

Madera County Personal Account

 "Please take this pandemic seriously"

 Follow the story of a Madera County Resident who recently lost her father to COVID-19.  She wants everyone to know the importance of staying at  home.  Share her story on facebook:  April 7th post, April 8th post, April 9th post. 

• Dec. 15 Madera resident's Public Service Announcement from the Governor's Office Nov. 25 Health Holidays video

Messages from the Public Health Director

 MCDPH & FCDPH Nov. 25 Health Holidays video

Madera County on the way to the Red Tier English | Spanish | Video 

  Stay the Course, video, Apr. 9, 2020 (transcript: English|Espanol)

  Stay home.  Stay well.  Stay connected. video, Mar. 20, 2020 (transcript: English | Espanol)

 Instructional

Dashboard tutorial

• Your Shot at Fun COVID Sweepstakes (April 1 - July 1, 2022)

 Dashboard tutorial

While increased testing is needed to measure health and herd immunity, it is also one of the state requirements for reopening.  The MCDPH GeneXpert machine can run a maximum of 44 tests per day, as long as the cartridges continue to be provided. With a one-hour turnaround time, these tests are being prioritized first for testing in critical situations where urgent results are imperative.

Advocacy

COVID-19 rapid-result test cartridges have been in short supply since mid-March, and were not being made available to MCDPH.  Public Health and Sheriff’s Office staff began to aggressively advocate for cartridges.  The Public Health Director, Sara Bosse, explained, “The GeneXpert was our only in-house option for increasing testing. We have been eager to increase our capacity for testing in Madera County but have been unable to use our GeneXpert machine due to the shortage with cartridges. We are excited that advocacy with state and federal partners has paid off.” MCDPH is continuing to advocate and is planning for additional testing resources for surveillance purposes 

Results

Madera County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) received the first order of testing cartridges for the MCDPH Lab GeneXpert molecular testing system allowing for more rapid testing. Beginning April 29, 2020, rapid tests can be conducted, providing results within an hour (samples must be given at a doctor’s office or hospital). Running at full capacity, the GeneXpert machine can run about 44 tests per day.  This increase in capacity can be sustained as long as the cartridges are continuously provided. With a one-hour turnaround time for results, the tests run on the GeneXpert will be prioritized first for testing in critical situations where urgent results are imperative.

As of 05/11/21, current tier status for Madera County:  Orange 

• Adjusted Case Rate: 3.1 per 100,000  
• County Positivity Rate: 1.6% (this number in lower yellow tier)
• Health Equity Positivity Rate: 1.3% (this number in lower yellow tier)

What this means

• Testing for the timeframe of 4/25/21-5/01/2021:   Madera County is 269.6 per 100,000 which is below the state median of 325.91 per 100,000. We need to start testing at a high rate to avoid being adjusted upward.
• Madera County’s Adjusted Case Rate (Less than 2.0), County Positivity Rate (Less than 2.0%), and Health Equity Rate (Less than 2.2%) need to be within this range for two weeks in order to move to the yellow tier.

• Get vaccinated! Everyone ages 16 and older is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Make an appointment at www.maderacounty.com/covid19vaccine

• Continue to get tested regularly if you have not been vaccinated. Get tested every 4-6 weeks if working outside your home or going out, especially if gathering socially.

• Gather safely. Gather outdoors when possible (max 50 people). Gatherings indoors are still strongly discouraged and should be limited to no more than 25 people.

• Practice Prevention. Wash hands, socially distance and wear a mask to slow the spread of COVID.

• Isolate yourself from others if you have symptoms. Quarantine if anyone in your household has symptoms. Visit www.valleycovidhelp.com or www.ayudadelvallecovid.com for more information to learn how to properly self-isolate.

State and local orders in effect 

• State orders in effect:  Blueprint for a Safer Economy, Hospital Surge Public Health Order, Stay Home Order
• Madera County orders in effect:  Standing Order to Expand COVID-19 Testing Accessibility

Stay at Home orders lifted 1/25/21:

• 12/21/20 State Supplement to the Limited Stay At Home Order - order lifted 1/25/21
• 12/03/20 State Regional Stay Home Order for the San Joaquin Valley Region took effect Dec. 7, 2020.  Order is in effect for 3 weeks and until regional ICU capacity is 15% or above - order lifted 1/25/21
• 11/19/20 Limited Stay At Home Order for counties in the purple tier. This order closes non-essential retail & causes household gatherings to cease 10 pm to 5 am - order lifted 1/25/21

• Looking for something not shown here? Go to the California Dept. of Public Health (CDPH) Guidance webpage
  • Have questions about a CDPH guidance? Ask it at the CDPH Inquiry Portal webpage
• Need a CDPH Guidance in another language?  Go to the "Resources in More Languages" page for CDPH Guidances in 15 languages spoken in California
  • FREE more accessible at-home COVID tests for people who are blind or have low vision - click here to order