Redden Lodge and Forest Campsites Closed

Contact:
Kyle Hoyd, Assistant State Forester
Delaware Forest Service
302-698-4548  kyle.hoyd@delaware.gov 

To limit coronavirus, the Redden Forest Lodge and campsites at Blackbird State Forest and Redden State Forest are now closed.

DOVER, Del. — Beginning immediately, the Delaware Forest Service will take the following steps to limit the potential spread of the Coronavirus:

  • The Lodge at Redden State Forest will be closed to the public until further notice.
    For existing reservations, contact Catherine Connelly at 302-698-4547 or catherine.connelly@delaware.gov.
  • All campsites at Redden and Blackbird State Forests will be closed to the public until further notice.
  • All large gatherings (>25 people) scheduled for any of the State Forests will be cancelled.
  • State Forests will remain open to the general public for the time being for outdoor activities such as hiking, bird watching, horseback riding, etc.
  • Staff members will cancel all scheduled meetings (or use teleconferencing as an alternative), school programs, on-site educational programs at the State Forests, and any other activity would involve multiple people in the same room.
  • Staff members will avoid all out-of-state travel until further notice.
  • Staff members will limit their exposure to the general public whenever possible, in order to prevent the possible transmission of coronavirus.
    State Forest Changes

Governor Carney Limits Restaurants to Take-Out and Delivery

Updated emergency declaration also bans gatherings of 50+ people statewide, and closes gaming in Delaware casinos

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Monday modified his March 12 emergency declaration to limit Delaware restaurants, taverns and bars to take-out and delivery service only to help prevent spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Governor Carney’s updated emergency declaration — which takes effect at 8:00 p.m. tonight, March 16 — also bans public gatherings of 50 or more people, consistent with updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and closes gaming activity at Delaware casinos.

Monday’s modification to Governor Carney’s emergency declaration also gives Delaware’s Secretary of Labor authorization to develop emergency rules to protect Delaware workers and ensure that unemployment benefits are available for Delawareans whose jobs are affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

“These restrictions will hit Delaware’s restaurants and bars especially hard,” said Governor Carney. “Delawareans should continue to support these businesses, and their workers, by ordering take-out or delivery. Restaurants also remain a critical source of food for vulnerable populations. But this is a very serious situation, with a significant amount of uncertainty. If you gather with 50 people or more, you are only increasing the risk that more Delawareans will come in contact with this virus. Let’s not make a challenging situation worse.”

On Thursday, March 12, Governor Carney issued a State of Emergency declaration to mobilize state resources to prepare for the spread of coronavirus across Delaware.

Delawareans with questions about COVID-19 or their exposure risk can call the Division of Public Health’s Coronavirus Call Center at 1-866-408-1899 or 711 for people who are hearing impaired from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or email DPHCall@delaware.gov. For the latest on Delaware’s response, go to de.gov/coronavirus.

Click here to read the modified emergency declaration.

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School nutrition programs announce meal options for students during closure

The Delaware Department of Education has received a waiver from the federal government to allow school nutrition programs to provide meals to students during the closure.

 

“We know that many of our students depend on the meals they receive in schools as their main source of food. Receiving waivers for the operation of the federal School Nutrition Programs means that most of our districts and charter schools will be able to provide meals for students who may need them during the time they are not in school due to COVID-19,” Secretary of Education Susan Bunting said. “Additionally, the state is in communication with other organizations that may assist in the provision of meals for students during this time.”

 

Please find a list of open meal sites for students here (https://www.doe.k12.de.us/covid19).  Families may pick up meal bags for children 18 and under who live in their home. Children must be present. Any family needing additional information may contact their district or charter office.

 

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

Guidance on Childcare Centers

Email from Governor John Carney:
 
This is an uncertain time, and Delawareans have understandable questions about the potential impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on their families and communities.
 
We’ve repeatedly heard versions of this question:  Why would the state close schools, but recommend that childcare centers remain open?
 
The current guidance from the Delaware Division of Public Health on childcare centers is that it is safe for them to stay open. The guidance from the CDC is the same. These are controlled environments. We know who comes in, and who goes out. Children are not a high-risk population for infection or serious illness — though they can transmit the virus to high-risk populations.
 
While the same can also be said for schools, I directed Delaware public schools to close from March 16-27 because there is significant uncertainty around spread of the virus, and how long this outbreak may last. Schools need this time to plan for the possibility of extended closures. They need to make sure they can provide learning opportunities in the event of extended school and business closures. They need plans to deliver meals and other social services that children and families rely on — and will continue to rely on — in the event this lasts for weeks or months. Over the next two weeks, state officials will help school leaders develop those plans.
 
We need this pause in our K-12 schools, and keeping childcare centers open during this period will help us prepare for what comes next. Closing childcare centers today would have significant impacts on Delaware workers and families, including our state’s front line health care workers, and ultimately make it harder for us to respond to the outbreak.
 
Let’s be clear: every decision we make is intended to protect Delaware families.  To that end, we are relying on our experts at the Division of Public Health, and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency, for day-to-day guidance, and up-to-the-minute advice. 
 
If at any point the guidance shifts and we believe there’s a risk that indicates closure, we will move to close childcare centers. That day could come tomorrow. It could come next week. It may never come. But today, we are asking centers to stay open based on the guidance.
 
We are also working hard to make sure that childcare workers continue to get paid in the event of closures. 
 
Delawareans can help us fight the spread of this virus. Wash your hands. Cover your cough. Stay home as much as you can, and don’t go to work if you feel sick. We will get through this — and the precautions you take will help.
 
Sincerely,
 
Governor John Carney

Public Health Announces Additional Positive Case of Coronavirus in Delaware

DOVER (March 15, 2020) – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is announcing one additional positive case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The case involves a New Castle County woman under the age of 30. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is no longer requiring presumptive positive results to go through CDC for confirmatory testing, and that all presumptive positives up to this date are considered confirmed.

The individual is not severely ill and is currently self-isolated at home. The individual is connected to the University of Delaware community. The source of her exposure is still under investigation. Epidemiologists from the Division of Public Health are working to identify any close contacts of the individuals who were possibly exposed. If other people are found to have possibly been exposed, state health officials will provide guidance to these individuals and monitor them closely for the development of symptoms. DPH will not be disclosing additional information about the individual.

“Because of the nature of this disease, we know that we are going to continue to see an increased number of cases in Delaware. This announcement brings Delaware’s total positive cases to seven,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay. “With the amount of test samples that health care systems and providers across the state are submitting to the Delaware Public Health Lab and to commercial labs, the numbers of patients being tested have increased significantly. We want to make sure that we are giving the most accurate information to the public, so going forward we will only be releasing the number of positive cases in Delaware.”

Symptoms of COVID-19 are most similar to lower respiratory infections with patients having fever, cough, and shortness of breath. There is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for COVID-19 infection at this time. While in some cases illnesses can be severe and require hospitalization, many individuals infected with COVID-19 recover by resting, drinking plenty of liquids and taking pain, and fever-reducing medications.

Testing for coronavirus disease is not recommended for individuals who do not have any symptoms of illness. For individuals who have symptoms of illness (fever, cough, or shortness of breath) testing is being run at both the Delaware Public Health Lab as well as commercial labs. Medical providers should evaluate patients and rule out other causes of illness first before recommending testing for COVID-19.

While testing for the disease at the Public Health Lab requires DPH approval, providers do not need DPH approval to submit test samples to commercial labs. With the addition of commercial lab testing now available, Delaware has enough capacity to accommodate its current testing needs. Providers only need to collect nose swabs as they would for flu to submit samples for testing. Commercial labs are required to report testing and results to DPH.

Delawareans with questions about COVID-19 or their exposure risk can call the Division of Public Health’s Coronavirus Call Center at 1-866-408-1899, or 711 for individuals who are hearing impaired, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or email DPHCall@delaware.gov. The DPH Call center does not have test results. Individuals awaiting test results should wait to hear back from their medical provider. For the latest on Delaware’s response, go to de.gov/coronavirus.

DPH will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. For more information, visit de.gov/coronavirus.