The Springfield-Greene County Health Department formed a coronavirus task force to prepare the area for the potential virus.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department, the Greene County Office of Emergency Management, and other partners are collaborating to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The health department confirms it tested four people for coronavirus. However, it reports no confirmed cases from those tests.

Health officials recommend you use virtual care when they have cold and flu symptoms, or call ahead before going to the doctor's office. They also ask you use caution when visiting nursing homes, because residents are some of the most vulnerable. Officials at all levels are reassuring the public about the preparations happening now.

The common message seems to be prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.

"Communities aren't defined by diseases," says Clay Goddard, Director of the Springfield Greene County Health Department. "They're defined by how they respond to these types of events. We live in a community that has strong seamless collaboration across agencies. If you look at the agencies that are in this room, the agencies that are represented behind me and in the audience, we have the ability and the heritage that we work together to address challenges."

There's also now a local coronavirus hotline, email and website for people with questions. The phone number is 417-874-1211, e-mail is coronavirus@springfieldmo.gov and the website is at the attached link.