Covid news for member businesses is out from the Henderson Vance Chamber of Commerce and President Michelle Burgess.
An email this week from Burgess to Chamber members asks for area businesses to “Help Keep Our Economy Open!”
Burgess wrote:
The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce has been alerted to the surging COVID-19 cases here in the county. Because the number of COVID cases doubled in Vance County since December 1st, Vance County has been added to a list of the state’s Top 10 Priority Counties to work with to try and curb the spread of transmissions. Vance County remains in the Red: Critical Community Spread, on the statewide COVID-19 Alert System which uses a combination of three metrics: case rate, the percent of tests that are positive, and hospital impact within the county. There is concern that if the number of cases continues to climb, we may be faced with our economy having to close down again.
Our Chamber has been asked to help get out key COVID information to our local employers. Your immediate help is needed to encourage your employees and their families to stay safe during the holiday season and in the upcoming winter months by avoiding travel and gatherings with people they don’t live with. If they must travel or gather, encourage getting tested ahead of time, wearing a mask all the time, and keeping any gatherings small and outdoors. In a statement this week, Gary Salamido, president and CEO of the NC Chamber, encouraged NC employers to work together to slow the spread of COVID-19 “North Carolina employers know how to keep people safe and their success relies on it. If all North Carolinians work together, we can protect lives and livelihoods.”
Detailed guidance for businesses is available at https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/guidance#businesses (open hyperlink for additional information). Granville-Vance Public Health is available to provide technical assistance and help people access testing and PPE if needed. They also provide free testing at their Henderson facility on Tuesday and Thursday, and at their Oxford location on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Call ahead to schedule an appointment. Their phone number is (919) 693-2141.