Planning, preparation, and leadership

City of Evanston, Illinois sent this bulletin at 02/28/2020 05:18 PM CST

Friday, Feb. 28, 2020 | View in browser

Greetings!

George Smith and Vincent Mena with Mayor Hagerty and Health Department staff

Vincent (left) and George (center) shared their questions with Evanston Health and Human Services Director Ike Ogbo and Communicable Disease Surveillance Specialist Elizabeth Lassiter.

This morning, I had the pleasure of meeting two bright, young leaders in our community, George Smith and Vincent Mena.

With global concern increasing about the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), George, Vincent and two of their fellow classmates wrote to me asking about the City's plans to respond to this infectious disease, and to find out what they could do to help.

Sitting around my office table, these two Nichols Middle School eighth graders could have easily been mistaken for New York Times reporters covering the health beat. Notepads in hand, they came prepared with plenty of questions about emergency response plans, preventive actions, community partnerships, and resources. In short, they did their homework.

The City has done its homework, too. Evanston is fortunate to have one of only four certified municipal health departments in Illinois. It's also the state's oldest. Led by Director Ike Ogbo, the department has been working closely with our federal, state and local health partners to take all measures necessary to prepare for and mitigate this infectious disease, should it spread to Evanston. (The City shared information about these efforts in a press release issued earlier today.)

Evanston has dealt with infectious diseases before. As recently as 2009, the City's Health & Human Services Department mobilized and coordinated the local response to the H1N1 "swine flu" pandemic, vaccinating many members of our community. As a certified municipal health department, it's also equipped with the necessary resources and staff, including a communicable disease surveillance specialist, to proactively monitor and respond to the situation as it develops.

But the department can't do it alone. It needs help from students like George and Vincent, and community members like you. Taking preventive measures, like staying home from work or school if you’re sick, covering your coughs and sneezes, washing your hands frequently, and routinely cleaning frequently touched surfaces and objects, is the first line of defense in containing COVID-19.

Below, you’ll find additional resources and information to help you stay informed as the situation evolves, and to do your part to help our community stay healthy.

So take care, enjoy your weekend, and please, don't forget to wash your hands.

Sincerely,