• In the last 1-2 weeks, we have started to see a significant spike in our own community.
• This has shown up as an increase in community testing numbers and percentages.
• This has also manifested as increased numbers of school classes affected by COVID exposures.
• Rates of COVID in the state, city and county continue to rise, and hospitals are seeing more COVID in standard and intensive care

Bottom line: Our community is starting to see a significant increase in circulating COVID.

• Please continue to mask and distance, and to practice hand hygiene. 
• Avoid gatherings or groups of individuals without masks and social distancing.
• There is no way to tell if mild cold symptoms are from COVID or from another virus, except with testing. Many cases of spread of COVID have been due to people ignoring mild symptoms. 
• Anyone experiencing symptoms (including runny nose, congestion, cough, vomiting or diarrhea, sore throat, muscle aches, new back pain, or fever) should be extra vigilant, stay at home, and discuss their condition with a healthcare provider.
• Quarantine (for those exposed to someone with COVID) and isolation (for those who have or may have COVID) should be taken seriously as it may literally save lives. 
• The CDC recently published options for ending quarantine early.  Please see here for more details.  
• Before coming into close contacts with others, each family should do a quick “check in”: Ask whether anyone in the household has been sick or exposed to someone with COVID.