by Dr. Molly O’Dell
I’m Dr. Molly O’Dell, the Director of Communicable Disease with Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts for the Virginia Department of Health. Our mission is to protect the health and promote the well-being of all people in our districts, and our vision is to become the healthiest districts in the state.
I was born and raised here in Roanoke and I currently live in Botetourt County. I have a BS from Longwood College, MD from the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and an MFA from University of Nebraska. I have practiced medicine in both public and private health in southwest Virginia for over 40 years.
We are facing the largest public health and economic crises to ever face our country. Everyday we learn more about COVID-19 and how to respond better. As information related to COVID-19 is constantly being updated, I want to provide answers to some frequently asked questions to help you better understand and navigate this pandemic.
Should I wear a facemask?
I recommend wearing cloth face coverings when you are in public settings and cannot maintain 6 feet of distance from others. It is considered an additional layer of protection for you to prevent spreading the virus to others but will not prevent you from others’ spread of COVID-19 without all protective measures, such as washing your hands and maintaining physical distance. This recommendation is for cloth face coverings only, not medical-grade masks or respirators.
What is a close contact?
A close contact is a person who has been within about 6 feet of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time or has had direct contact with secretions from a person with confirmed novel coronavirus infection.
What should I do if I’ve been exposed to a COVID-19 case?
If you’ve had close contact (see above) with a person diagnosed with COVID-19, stay home and monitor your health symptoms for 14 days after your last contact.
If you live in the same household as someone sick with COVID-19, the person who is sick must stay home until their fever has been gone for 3 full days without using any fever-reducing medicine, the other symptoms have improved, and at least 7 days have passed since the symptoms first appeared. After this time, the person can stop home isolation and is no longer considered infectious.
You, as the household contact, should stay home while the person is sick, while the person is recovering, and for 14 days after their home isolation ends.
What should I do if I have COVID-19 symptoms, (fever, cough, shortness of breath)?
Call your primary care physician for medical advice should you experience symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath).
I hope that you and your family are staying safe. If you have additional questions, please call our call center so that our skilled staff can help get you information: 1-855-949-8378, open Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm. Virginia’s health is in your hands.
