E021: Coronavirus - what to know and what you can do to protect yourself

On today's episode, we're discussing the Coronavirus.  I thought it was important to do so for several reasons: Though state officials say the threat to the public remains low, public interest in learning about the disease is high - in particular, who is most at risk and how to prevent it from spreading Overnight the first two cases for Pinellas County were reported bringing the number of cases in Tampa Bay to 6 - 2 in Pinellas County, 2 in Hillsborough County, 1 in Pasco County and 1 in Manatee County Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) jointly warned Americans of companies trying to capitalize on the fear and concerns caused by the virus.   Florida's Attorney General Ashley Moody activated the coronavirus price gouging hotline We are seeing a growing number of events being altered or canceled as a result of the virus spreading the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the coronavirus, also know as COVID-19, to be a pandemic In this episode, I highlight the differences between an outbreak, epidemic and pandemic. Below are the 7 sellers of unapproved and misbranded products that received warning letters from the FDA & FTC: Vital Silver Aromatherapy Ltd N-ergetics Vivify Holistic Clinic Herbal Amy LLC The Jim Bakker Show Coronavirus-related price gouging can be reported by calling 1-866-9-NO-SCAM or by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.  Violators of the state's price gouging statute are subject to penalties of $1,000 per violation and up to a total of $25,000 for multiple violations committed in a single 24-hour period If you think you need to be tested, the Florida Department of Health can now test for the Coronavirus in Tampa, Jacksonville and Miami within 48 hours.  Health officials advise calling ahead to a doctor or health department if you suspect you have the Coronavirus so they can prepare for your arrival and limit the risk of infecting others.  To contact the health department directly, call 866-779-6121 or email [email protected]. World Health Organization website Center for Disease Control and Prevention website Florida Department of Health website Wishing you good health in the days to come!