Underlying Health Conditions Heighten COVID-19 Risks for Residents
Wear a mask, social distance to protect vulnerable populations in Washoe County
Health District Hotline:
775.328.2427
Follow us on Twitter:
Twitter.com/covid19washoe
Reno/Sparks, NV – The Regional Information Center is reminding residents who have underlying health conditions that there is greater risk of complications from COVID-19 and that extra precaution should be taken by all residents who interact with this vulnerable population.
The White House Coronavirus Task Force listed Washoe County as a whole and the city of Reno in the “Yellow Zone” for COVID-19 cases, COVID-19-related deaths and positivity rate. Read more here.
The common underlying health conditions, at any age, with COVID-19-related complications are:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system)
- Obesity
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Serious heart conditions
- Sickle cell disease
- Type 2 diabetes
Read more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about certain medical conditions that can lead to increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. In Washoe County, a majority of the cases who die from COVID-19 have one of the above underlying health conditions.
Coming into close contact (fewer than 6-feet) with someone who is infected for more than 15 minutes can increase the chances of COVID-19 transmission. It’s important for all residents to understand that COVID-19 can be spread by someone who is not showing symptoms; therefore, it’s imperative that you wear a mask to protect others around you, maintain social distancing of 6 feet or more and use other COVID-19 mitigation measures like wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, stay home from work if you’re sick, self-isolate if you’re waiting for COVID-19 test results, and stay home if you are a close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
Under the Yellow Zone designation, the White House Coronavirus Task Force recommended that social gatherings be limited to 25 people or fewer, recommended take out when going to a restaurant and reducing public interactions and activities to 50 percent of your normal activity.
Hispanic Community
It is especially important for the Hispanic community in Washoe County to adhere to these preventive measures. As of July 22, over 40 percent of the positive COVID-19 cases identified as Hispanic. See more COVID-19 data here.
Resources for Hispanic community can be found on the www.COVID19Washoe.com website under “Español & Other Languages”. Bilingual staff are available to answer questions 24-7 by call 775-328-2427 or with Washoe 311 (Dial 3-1-1). To get tested for COVID-19, fill out a risk assessment in Spanish here.
Get a COVID-19 Test
Fill out this form to get tested for COVID-19 at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center. You can also call the Washoe County COVID-19 hotline at 775-328-2427.
The COVID-19 Regional Information Center is working together to deliver COVID-19 community updates in a unified manner. While press releases are only sent periodically for significant events, you can always get daily results on our website, https://covid19washoe.com/, our COVID-19 Dashboard or by following us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe. The entities include: City of Reno, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Regional Transportation Commission, REMSA, Reno Sparks Indian Colony, Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, University of Nevada, Reno, Washoe County, Washoe County Health District, Washoe County School District and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Also in the group are the area hospitals, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s.