What Residents Need to Know to Help Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus

CORONAVIRUS- COVID-19 UPDATE 

From:  First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice      

March 8, 2020

The following is an update as to actions taken by the Town of Wilton to educate, protect and prepare our community during the coronavirus outbreak. 

The Town has adopted the CDC’s non pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) recommended approach for a pandemic, even though a pandemic has not been officially declared.  NPI is a three-pronged approach:

Personal, Environmental and Community

Personal: All residents are asked to take personal responsibility for their health and the health of their family members through active monitoring of their health.  This should include twice daily temperature checks and the following preventative measures:

  • Frequent handwashing with soap for at least 20 seconds and use of hand sanitizers, with at least 60% alcohol, when soap is not available
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
  • Cough into a tissue and then throw the tissue away.  If tissues aren’t available, cough into your elbow
  • Stay home when you are sick
  • Contract your personal physician if you have concerns about your health

Environmental: 

  • Use extra care to clean and disinfect surfaces, including door handles, cell phones and keyboards
  • Use household products specifically designed to disinfect

Community:  All residents are asked to practice social distancing.

  • Maintain a distance between yourself and others.  Six feet is ideal, three feet is a recommended minimal distance
  • When attending public events, leave a seat between you and the person adjacent and behind you

The State has implemented a coronavirus hotline for general questions.  Call 2-1-1 or text “CTCOVID” to 898211.

The Town’s health and public safety and medical personnel have been and are prepared for medical emergencies.  Additional proactive measures have been taken, including additional meetings and coordination within town government and meetings and coordination with the Wilton public schools, VNA school and public health nurses, Norwalk Hospital, Wilton long-term care facilities, Wilton private schools, preschools and daycare facilities and certain Wilton businesses.

Social distancing protocols have been developed and have or are in the process of adoption by town departments and employees.  We request the public’s cooperation when visiting a town building.

Town buildings are equipped with hand sanitizers and cleaning protocols have been increased.

Health Director Barry Bogle and members of the health department will continue to review protocols and provide guidance across government functions and the community.  Additional information will be added to the department’s webpage.   Sign up for e-alerts on the town website.

We encourage residents to visit the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/ and the State’s special coronavirus website: https://portal.ct.gov (on this site, click on red bar at top of page to access State's special coronavirus website).  Both sites are being continuously updated, so please periodically circle back.

As always, if you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at lynne.vanderslice@wiltonct.org.