Hospitals warn of dangers if precautions ignored

Local hospitals are urging you to take safety precautions as COVID-19 cases rise in our area.

Columbus Regional Health and Schneck Medical Center in Seymour have issued a joint warning, urging the use of masks, social distancing and hand washing to stem the increase.

The two hospitals said they are joining forces asking you to do your part to prevent mass outbreaks so that medical providers can preserve vital resources, such as staff and inpatient capacity, in order to continue responding to the pandemic. They say that as temperatures continue to cool and people engage in less outdoor activities, limiting in-person social gatherings and wearing a mask around anyone not in your household is more important than ever.

The hospitals say that face coverings, when worn properly greatly reduce the amount of virus-containing droplets or particles people emit and absorb. Maintaining a distance of 6-feet or more from others when in public and frequent hand-washing prevent the spread of coronavirus, but also other illnesses and bacteria that commonly circulate.