VALDOSTA – South Health District urges residents across the 10-county district (Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Tift and Turner Counties) to take social distancing recommendations seriously.

Social distancing means remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding local public transportation (e.g., bus, trains, ride share), and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet) from others. This also includes avoiding  events with more than 50 people, such as funerals, weddings or parties if at all possible.

Lessening contact with others, especially in mass public gatherings, helps slow the spread COVID-19.

Across the state, schools and colleges have closed and local governments have made recommendations to businesses to alter their operations to encourage social distancing. While these steps are helpful in encouraging social distancing, it is also important for individuals to take steps as well.

Staying home as much as possible is key. With schools being closed and many workplaces teleworking, it is understandable that people begin to feel cooped up at home. However, during a public health emergency it is necessary.

Individuals are discouraged from going to congregate areas, like malls, beaches, arcades or public pools, to hang out. You should stay home as much as possible and when you aren’t home you should try and maintain distance from others.

Many people believe that staying home is only necessary for those that are sick, but that is not the case anymore. During a public health emergency like we are currently experiencing it is very important for all individuals to try and limit their exposure to congregate settings.

Social distancing does not mean individuals can’t go to the store and pick up what they need or go pick up dinner to-go from a local restaurant. It just means limiting your exposure to these settings when possible and maintaining distance when you are in these settings.

For accurate and reliable information about COVID-19 visit southhealthdistrict.com/covid19, dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus or cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.