USU Dorms New Tool In Fight Against COVID-19
Jun 19, 2020, 8:09 PM | Updated: Jun 20, 2020, 3:45 pm
LOGAN, Utah – The Bear River Health Department is getting extra help for COVID-19 patients who have nowhere else to go.
Some empty dorms at Utah State University are now being used as a place for those patients to isolate and prevent the spread.
One man said the dorm made a big difference for his family.
“I’ve experienced all the symptoms. I was staying in a six-person dorm,” said Bridger Gunnell.
He was in the Bear Lake area when he first noticed symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19. Going home did not seem like a great idea, because his dad works in health care.
“He works with a lot of elderly patients and so we were trying to figure out an alternative way,” Gunnell said. “They were going to put plastic covering over the door and have me sit in a room by myself.”
That is where a USU dorm room came into play.
Gunnell stayed there, alone, for nine days, only seeing staff members that brought him meals.
Bear River Health Department is now using dorms, offered up at @USUAggies to help people with some unique circumstances isolate while infected with COVID-19. Hear why one man says that option made a big difference in his family's safety. @KSL5TV at 5&6pm pic.twitter.com/AYjwPM4kSG
— Mike Anderson (@mikeandersonKSL) June 19, 2020
Mike Weibel, emergency response coordinator at the Bear River Health Department, said those dorms have come in handy for several families who have narrow parameters.
“The preference is always that people isolate in their own homes,” Weibel said. “But there’s always going to be that one instance where they don’t have a home to do that in.”
Health officials said they will lose access to those dorms towards the end of July, and they were looking for another option to keep it going.
Weibel said people can avoid the virus effectively if you wear a mask, wash your hands and social distance.
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- What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy
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How Do I Prevent It?
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- Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
- Avoid touching your face
- Stay home when you are sick
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
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Additional Resources
If you see evidence of PRICE GOUGING, the Utah Attorney General’s Office wants you to report it. Common items in question include toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, certain household cleaners, and even cold medicine and baby formula. Authorities are asking anyone who sees price gouging to report it to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection at 801-530-6601 or 800-721-7233. The division can also be reached by email at consumerprotection@utah.gov.