When Public Health Nurse Sabrina Firicano got a call from the state Department of Public Health (DPH) on Tuesday morning, they reported several new cases, with the total then up to 132.
By Tuesday afternoon, she had received another call from DPH telling her there were nine more cases confirmed. That set the official number in Everett at 141, but increasing, she said, the numbers don’t tend to matter much anymore.
“The number is constantly changing so it doesn’t mean that much anymore,” she said. “It’s ever-changing and we try not to get stuck on the number because it changes so frequently. We really just have to practice social distancing and wash out hand frequently.”
Last Tuesday, Everett had 29 confirmed cases. In Revere, at the end of Monday, they reported 257 confirmed cases, with several deaths. In Chelsea, the City there reported 315 confirmed cases, with eight deaths and 36 recovered.
Of those that are confirmed as positive in Everett, Firicano said most are recovering at home and monitoring their symptoms. Some have been hospitalized, and Firicano and the School Nurses are following up with those who are recovering at home. All of the patients are monitored remotely by the nurses, and they continue to reach out to those that do not call back.
As the cases begin to increase, Firicano advised on how to create a “sick room.” With many more residents expected to become sick, or who might already be sick, Firicano said it is important to set up a separate area for those that have tested positive.
“If a confirmed case is living in the house with others, they are told to stay in an area separated from others and in isolation,” she said. “If it’s a bedroom, they can close the door and not let visitors in or out. We also say for that person to use a separate bathroom, but that’s not always an option.”
If someone is sick and has to use the same bathroom as others in the house who are well, it is advised to clean the bathroom and disinfect it after each use. Household member also should not share drinks, dishes or utensils.
If at all possible, the sick person is advised to use paper plates, plastic utensils and disposable cups. Those can simply be discarded after use and there isn’t the worry of having to keep dishes separate.
It is also advised to wear gloves and masks whenever possible.
“We have some cases where only one person is infected in the household, and we have other cases where everyone in the house is affected,” she said.
In other news, Firicano said she completely supported the decision to institute a curfew and said it is the only way right now to stop the virus from spreading more widely.
“I believe they did something that had to be done,” she said. “It’s very important residents get the message to stay home as much as possible and only go out for essential medicine or groceries…The City has been on top of this and really taking measures before anyone else. It’s really important we continue to be one step ahead of all this.”