Due to concerns of the spreading coronavirus and following the lead of the Palm Beach County School District and Palm Beach County Health Department, all 13 Boys & Girls Clubs located throughout Palm Beach County will close starting Monday, March 16. No Club members or staff members have tested positive for the virus, but safety is our number one priority. Clubs will remain closed until at least Friday, March 27. At that time, it will be decided if Clubs can reopen safely.
“We are monitoring updates from emergency management and health officials. We understand the hardship it creates on parents when our Clubs are not able to be open. Safety is our top priority, and following the lead of our state and local leaders, we felt it necessary to close our Clubs to help in the effort to contain the virus. We will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so for our Club members and staff,” said Jaene Miranda, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County.
What You Need to Know about COVID-19
Risk of infection is dependent on exposure. Close contact with people who are infected puts you at greater risk of exposure. Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Florida and other parts of the U.S. Currently, there is no vaccine to protect against the disease and there is no antiviral treatment. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus.
Symptoms
Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory illness with these symptoms:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Pneumonia in both lungs in severe cases
Simple Precautions
Since the best way to protect your family and yourself is by avoiding exposure to the virus, there are some simple everyday preventive actions that you can take.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds frequently
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water is not available.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throw the tissue away immediately
- Stay home if you are sick
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces if you become sick
If you need further information please go to www.cdc.gov/COVID19.
