THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

MAYOR DOMENIC J. SARNO

HOME OF THE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

City of Springfield 36 Court Street Springfield, MA 01103-1687 (413) 787-6100


PRESS RELEASE, CONTACT: Jim Leydon, (413) 886-5166, JLeydon@springfieldcityhall.com,

RE: Health and Human Services Commissioner Issues Public Health Preparedness Letter Regarding Ebola
October 15, 2014
Dear City Employees and Residents:
On behalf of Mayor Sarno, I would like to take this opportunity to assure you that the City of Springfield is
thinking about and is prepared to respond to Ebola.
First and foremost we are fortunate to have within our geographic area two of the finest hospitals in the Region,
Baystate Health and Mercy Medical Center. Both hospitals have dealt with infectious disease outbreaks in the past
and are equipped to respond. With every Public Health threat presents the opportunity for education and training;
and across the nation that comprehensive process is taking place.
Mayor Sarno has convened a City of Springfield taskforce that is meeting to confirm our risk communication
strategies. It is our intent to assure as we did during the Tornado, October Snowstorm and other disasters, that we
are using our Emergency Preparedness Incident Command structure to communicate timely and effectively
internally and externally which included our residents and businesses. At the Mayors direction, I participate on
the conference calls with State Department of Public Health and the U.S. Center for Disease Control to assure we
have the latest information available.
It is important to remember three important factors when considering if an individual is at risk to Ebola.
Symptoms: Fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness and fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting,
stomach pain and lack of appetite and in some cases bleeding.
Most importantly, travel to West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone or other countries when the
Ebola Virus has been reported by the World Health Organization). The travel must have taken
place with 21 days (three weeks) of symptom onset.
Ebola is not airborne.

We are approaching Flu season and some of the symptoms outlined in bullet one symptoms of the Flu. I am not
asking that you ignore these symptoms, but rather not panic. Please remember bullet two and also be reminded




that is NOT country of origin but rather travel history that makes the determination. I will continue to update City
Employees and the public at large as I receive information.

Thank you for your patience, and please get your flu shot!

Helen R. Caulton-Harris, Commissioner
City of Springfield Department of Health and Human Services