THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Lisa Harrison, Director of Granville Vance Public Health, told WIZS News at 4:48 p.m. that there are no confirmed cases of Coronavirus “at this time.  Still testing regularly in each county.”

She said, “Please remind people to stay at home and give a call if they develop fever and shortness of breath or a really bad cough. Fever has to be present in order for the doctor to take a sample for testing. The social distancing and staying home to keep our health care workers safe is very important. We need to save our ER resources for very sick individuals and not for screening.”

Earlier in the day, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the following Press Release was issued by Granville County Government: 

Granville Vance Public Health (GVPH) reports that – as of March 18 at 10 a.m. – there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Granville or Vance County, and that public health officials are currently active in surveillance, testing, monitoring and providing guidance information to individuals and agencies daily.

In partnership with providers and neighboring health departments, the first phase of the response has consisted of intensive containment strategies.

“If we act now, and work together, we can make a difference in preventing extra stress to our health care system from the number of cases that may grow to be more serious,” said Lisa Harrison, Director of Granville Vance Public Health. “There is a lot we still don’t know about this virus, but what we do know clearly is that age and underlying health status make a big difference.”

GVPH has released guidance and information to help focus on those most at risk to develop a more serious strain of COVID-19 and be more likely to have complications. Many of the recommendations are focused on protecting people at higher risk of severe illness, which includes adults over 65 years of age, people with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, or people with weakened immune systems.

“This time of year it is easy to confuse the symptoms of coronavirus with the common cold, with allergies, or the flu – all of which are prevalent,” Harrison explains. “The symptoms of Coronavirus are fever, cough, or shortness of breath.”

A global dashboard in real-time is available on the Granville Vance Public Health web site,  https://gvph.org/COVID-19/?fbclid=IwAR0OG3rWzcK4EjI4k4-nM-wKmrGy3XjGZjzLILQluBPgvEiIbu14c4h4xlg.

According to Harrison, Coronavirus can be serious, but getting Coronavirus isn’t severe for everyone. “We do not yet understand why, but often children tend to fare well and get a really light version of the virus and get better relatively quickly from what we know so far,” she says.

Harrison adds that it is important to get information about this pandemic from trusted fact-based sources like the CDC, the World Health Organization, the NC Division of Public Health, and your local health department, Granville Vance Public Health.

Harrison advises that if you or a family member has fever AND cough – or difficulty breathing – to call your healthcare provider or an urgent care if you do not have a healthcare provider. If you have fever, cough, and shortness of breath, do NOT show up at your healthcare provider’s office or the urgent care without calling first so they can prepare for your visit.

Do NOT go to the emergency room unless you are in severe distress. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve the most critically ill. If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 and tell them your symptoms.

“Although we have and are monitoring closely confirmed cases in our state, North Carolina has no indication at this point of widespread community spread of Coronavirus,” Harrison says. “It is so important that we stay home and practice social distancing. If we reduce our chances of getting this virus, we reduce our chances of spreading it to others. Please stay home and if you feel you are getting sick with fever and cough, or shortness of breath, remember to call your provider before coming in.”

You may also call the statewide Coronavirus Helpline at 1-866-462-3821, which is answered 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. People at higher risk include those age 65 and older, those with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, and those who have weakened immune systems.

Residents are asked to turn to accurate sources of information from the CDC (www.cdc.gov) and State Division of Public Health (https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina) as well as your own local public health officials.

Granville Vance Public Health will provide the most up-to-date and accurate information for COVID-19 in their district online at https://gvph.org/.