JEFFERSON CITY, MO –The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) activated a statewide public hotline for citizens or providers needing guidance regarding the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. At 8 a.m. today, the hotline opened and can be reached at 877-435-8411. The hotline is being operated by medical professionals and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“Communication is vital to our response to this rapidly-evolving situation,” said Dr. Randall Williams, director of DHSS. “For several weeks, our COVID-19 webpage has been and continues to be a great resource for the public, but having the hotline as an additional resource will likely be invaluable as citizens seek guidance for their concerns.”
To date, 46 patients in Missouri have been tested for the virus that causes COVID-19; one of those has tested positive.
“It is important to know what to do if you have concerns about an illness during this outbreak,” said Williams. “For those who may be at risk for COVID-19, we encourage them to utilize this hotline or call their health care provider or local public health agency to inform them of their travel history and symptoms. They’ll be instructed on how to receive care without exposing others to the possible illness.”
Simple preventive actions that help prevent the spread of all types of respiratory viruses include:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
For more information, visit www.health.mo.gov/coronavirus or the CDC’s COVID-19 website.
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Past Missouri COVID-19 news releases:
- Governor Parson, State, and Local Officials Confirm First Case of COVID-19 to Test “Presumptive Positive” in Missouri (March 7, 2020)
- CDC releases revised COVID-19 guidance for health care professionals (Feb. 28, 2020)
- DHSS Director Williams meets at White House to discuss federal, state and local health officials’ strategic alignment on COVID-19 (Feb. 27, 2020)
- Missouri DHSS and partners continue planning and preparing for novel coronavirus (Feb. 10, 2020)
- Update and Interim Guidance on Outbreak of COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) (Feb. 1, 2020)
- DHSS provides update on novel coronavirus (nCoV) (Jan. 27, 2020)
- Missouri DHSS monitors novel coronavirus (Jan. 22, 2020)
About the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: The department seeks to be the leader in protecting health and keeping people safe. More information about DHSS can be found at http://health.mo.gov or find us on Facebook and Twitter @HealthyLivingMo