Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Don’t get “lulled into a false sense of security.”

That’s the message this week from Rick Smith, CEO at Troy Regional Medical Center, who said as the community begins to open up again for business and activities, individuals need to remain cautious.

“Cases continue to rise in our state and in our community and we must stay on alert and be mindful of our surroundings,” he said.

As of 5 p.m. Tuesday the Alabama Department of Public Health had confirmed 110 cases of COVID-19 in Pike County, with no reported deaths. Statewide, the ADPH has confirmed more than 12, 375 cases with 504 deaths and 1,453 hospitalizations. The state health department does not provide data differentiating between active cases and resolved or cleared cases.

Smith warned that while people begin to move in and out of buildings and businesses, cleaning and disinfecting public areas is critically important.

“CVOID-19 is transmitted by a virus through respiratory droplets that can live on contact surfaces for hours or even days,” he said. “By using the right products and cleaning regularly, the virus can be easily killed, which greatly reduces the risk of transmission.”

He offered the following steps to ensure workplaces remain clean and disinfected.

• Identify high-touch surfaces in your workplace, such as seating, door handles, light switches, elevator buttons, phones, faucets or kiosks. The more high-touch, the more frequently it needs to be wiped down, but it should always be at least daily. When in doubt, wipe it down!

• Be sure to always wear gloves when cleaning  and disinfecting.

• Visibly dirty surfaces should be cleaned before you disinfect.

• Disinfect all hard surfaces using an EPA-approved disinfectant, or a bleach solution of 1/3 cup of bleach for each gallon of water. Start cleaning top to bottom to avoid cross contamination.

• Remove your gloves and wash your hands after disinfecting.

“By standing with each other we will all be better protected,” he said. “Don’t let your guard down and maintain your state of preparedness.”