John,

The most important thing you can do right now is not to panic, but prepare and educate yourself about the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) considers the the virus to be a serious public health threat. It is important that you are aware of the disease and the efforts necessary to prevent its spread. Here are a few helpful pieces of information to read up on:

Symptoms

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. Symptoms can include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you have visited China within the past two weeks and start to feel ill, call your doctor.

Prevention

The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. There are simple everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

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

If you are sick, to keep from spreading respiratory illness to others, you should:

Stay home except to get medical care.
Call ahead before visiting your doctor.
Wear a facemask.
Cover your coughs and sneezes.
Avoid sharing personal household items.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
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.

And if you need to call your local health professionals:

The Texas Department of Health has put together this page for that answers the public's questions about the novel coronavirus and you can also call the DSHS COVID-19 Call Center at 877-570-9779. Additionally, Tarrant County residents can call a local hotline at 817-248-6299 and Dallas County residents can call 972-692-2780 if you seek more information.

Thank you and we are always here to help if you have further questions.

Marc Veasey