FORT WORTH (1080 KRLD) - Tarrant County Public Health has planned a series of meetings with local "stakeholders" on coronavirus.
The county's public health department says it is meeting with school districts and hospitals Wednesday, then will meet with smaller clinics Thursday.
The health department plans to meet with business leaders and chambers of commerce Monday.
"As the situation starts to evolve in the United States, I think it was prudent that we all get together and set a baseline for situational awareness, so we all understand what the facts are," says Tarrant County Health Director Vinny Taneja. "That helps us fight fear and worries people may have."
The health department's chief epidemiologist says seasonal coronaviruses are common.
"However, this coronavirus is a part of the family that causes a more severe condition, along with MERS and SARS," says Epidemiologist Dr. Russ Jones.
No cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Tarrant County, but Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley says launching an education campaign now can help the county plan ahead.
"I always knock on wood when I begin to think about it," he says. "We hope we're preparing for something we don't actually have to end up implementing."
Next week, Whitley says the county should be equipped to test for coronavirus locally. Without having to send samples to the CDC, he says that will cut the amount of time needed to get a diagnosis.
"I just want to reassure everyone that we are preparing and getting ready," he says. "But we have no confirmed cases at this time."
Tarrant Co. Public Health dir. says it was "prudent" for local groups to meet to "set a baseline so we all understand what the facts are and help us fight fear and worries people may have," says they'll work closely with county Emergency Management on response to #coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/bae8vnLgFM
— Alan Scaia (@scaia) March 4, 2020
