Rocky Hill, Conn. – U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams called for caution but “not panic” over the spread of the new coronavirus last Monday.

Adams and Connecticut Public Health Commissioner Renee Coleman-Mitchell urged the public to take precautions such as washing hands, elbow “bumping” instead of hand shaking, and getting flu shots. They said flu shots would decrease hospitalizations due to the flu and free up space, if needed, to treat patients sickened by the new virus.

“Caution, preparedness, but not panic,” Adams said. “That’s how we’re going to successfully navigate this coronavirus situation.”

Adams, who was in Connecticut for speaking engagements unrelated to the virus, spoke while touring the state public health laboratory.

“The risk to individuals from the novel coronavirus right now is low. Due to the administration’s aggressive containment strategies, we have done a good job of limiting coronavirus entry into the United States,” Adams said.

In Congress, bipartisan negotiations were nearly complete last Monday for several billion dollars in emergency funding on outbreak expenses, including protective gear, quarantine housing and transportation, lab tests and public information campaigns.