• COVID-19 Testing Information - Self Testing, Texas COVID-19 Test Collection Sites, and other information.

The novel (new) coronavirus, named SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19), is a respiratory disease that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019 and has now been detected in multiple international locations, including the United States.

For more information from the CDC, click here.

How does the virus spread?

For more information from the CDC on how COVID-19 is spread, click here.

• Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue
• Disinfecting frequently touched objects
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

Symptoms

Confirmed patients who have contracted  COVID-19 have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath.

At this time, CDC believes that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of MERS coronaviruses.

For more information, click here.

 What kind of household cleaners can kill COVID-19?

What if I have other questions?

There are a number of information resources available through Dallas County Health and Human Services, Denton County Public Health, the Texas Department of State Health Services, and the CDC.

This public health situation is ever evolving, so be sure to check back frequently.

• Dallas County: 972-692-2780
• Denton County: 940-349-2585
• Collin County: 211, Select Option 6
• Statewide: 211, Select Option 6

•  Dallas County Health and Human Services: coronavirus@dshstexas.gov

For cleaning and disinfection tips, more information is available on the CDC's website.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also provides a list of disinfectants for use against COVID-19. 

The CDC recommends that unvaccinated  individuals wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

Those vaccinated against COVID-19 may resume both indoor and outdoor activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, including local business and workplace guidance. More information is available on the CDC's website. 

For tips on how to watch your hands from the CDC, click here. 

For social distancing tips from the CDC, click here. 

Those vaccinated against COVID-19 may resume both indoor and outdoor activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, including local business and workplace guidance. More information is available on the CDC's website. 

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• English (PDF)
• Spanish (PDF)
• Chinese (PDF)
• Korean (PDF)
• Vietnamese (PDF)

 In an effort to prevent false information from being spread, the CDC, World Health Organization (WHO), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have created resources that cover popular myths and misinformation and provide facts. Here are some highlights.

• Fact: Diseases can make anyone sick, regardless of their race or ethnicity.
  People of Asian descent, including Chinese Americans, are not more likely to get COVID-19 than any other American. Help stop fear by letting people know that being of Asian descent does not increase the chance of getting or spreading COVID-19.
  
  
• Fiction: Any aquarium use products that contain chloroquine phosphate can be used to treat COVID-19. DO NOT ingest these products, they are not intended for human consumption. Medications like chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine sulfate should be taken only when prescribed by and under the supervision of your healthcare provider and always according to the instructions provided. More info on this topic can be found in this CDC Health Advisory, issued March 28.

• Does COVID-19 affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?
  People of all ages can be infected by COVID-19. Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
  WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, such as following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.

For more myths, and other information from the WHO, click here.

• Is 5G cell phone technology linked to the cause of coronavirus?
  

  A worldwide online conspiracy theory has attempted to link 5G cell phone technology as being one of the causes of the coronavirus. Many cell towers have been set on fire as a result.  5G technology does NOT cause coronavirus.

  4/6/20 | Source: Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

 For other information from FEMA, click here.