Tag Archive for: #coronavirus2020

MPH Further Restricts Visitation, Limits the Number of Open Entrances

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-Information courtesy Maria Parham Health

Maria Parham Health is committed to providing the highest quality care and ensuring the safety of our patients, employees, providers, volunteers and visitors. We are continuing to monitor the evolving situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19) and are taking the necessary steps to ensure we are fully prepared to care for patients, in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and in partnership with our local and state health departments.

In keeping with our commitment to public safety and security, we are implementing the following policies, effective immediately:

Maria Parham Health is eliminating all visitor hours, with the exception of the following:

• One visitor for obstetrical patients
• Two visitors for pediatric patients
• One caregiver if necessary, for emergency department patients

No other visitors will be allowed at this time without approval from Administration. This includes outpatient treatment.

Effective Tuesday, March 17, we are limiting the number of open entrances at the hospital to include the emergency department entrance, the front entrance, and the cancer center entrance. The emergency department entrance will be open 24 hours per day. The front entrance will remain open from 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily.

At our Franklin facility, the emergency department and 20-bed behavioral health entrances will be open.

Staff will screen and log all staff, providers, and visitors at the designated entrances.

Please note, we have not limited or restricted services at this time.

These measures are in place to protect our facility and our community. Please know that our providers and clinical teams are well-trained and prepared to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, seasonal flu and other respiratory illnesses.

Please be reassured that our number one priority is the health and well-being of our community – and that includes you. We are prepared to manage an outbreak of respiratory illness, and we encourage you to follow the guidance above and stay tuned to updates from the CDC to help protect you and your loved ones. Keeping our community healthy is a community effort, and we are committed to doing everything we can to keep our community healthy today and for generations to come.

For more information and to stay abreast of the latest updates on COVID-19, you can visit https://www.mariaparham.com/coronavirus-covid-19-preparedne… and www.cdc.gov.

Maria Parham Health

COVID-19: What Maria Parham Health is Doing and What You Can Do

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-Press Release, Maria Parham Health

It probably feels as if coronavirus – or as it is officially known, COVID-19 – is all anyone is talking about these days.

As COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses like the seasonal flu continue to spread across the U.S., you also may feel a certain level of concern over how this disease could affect you or your loved ones, or if your local healthcare provider is prepared to respond to any local cases that may arise. That’s certainly understandable and natural. We want to provide you with essential information outlining what we are doing to stay prepared and offer you guidance on what you can do to help protect yourself, your family and our community.

What we are doing

Maria Parham Health is committed to providing the highest quality care and ensuring the safety of our patients, employees, providers, volunteers and visitors at all times. While COVID-19 is new, effectively responding to other infectious diseases is not. We have tested processes and plans in place to respond to situations involving infectious disease year-round. Here is what we are doing to stay ready and effectively respond to COVID-19:

  • We continue to work closely with the Vance County Health Department/North Carolina Health Department and follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure that we are prepared with appropriate plans to detect, protect and respond should anyone in our community contract or be exposed to COVID-19.
  • We have a robust emergency operations plan in place and are reviewing and proactively completing a number of preparation checklists out of an abundance of caution.
  • We have hand hygiene products easily accessible throughout our facility, and we also installed sneeze screens.
  • We are screening patients in our emergency department, inpatient units and outpatient clinics based on CDC guidance.
  • Staff treating a potential COVID-19 case are provided with all appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to help prevent exposure.
  • Patients with respiratory or COVID-19-related symptoms are immediately provided masks to wear to help prevent exposure to others.
  • In the event that we identify a potential COVID-19 case, we will follow all CDC guidelines for placing that individual in isolation for their care and for the protection of other patients, employees and visitors.
  • We have implemented visitor restrictions at our facility as follows:
  1. Only one visitor per patient at all times:  Limiting the number of visitors per patient will help control the spread of the illness
  2. Children under 12 not allowed on hospital visits:  Since children are more likely to get sick and spread the flu, our staff will only allow children under 12 to visit patients in special cases.
  3. Visitor Check-in/Check-out:  All visitors will be required to check in and check out when visiting patients at Maria Parham Health until further notice. Please sign-in/sign-out with the appropriate staff at point of entry.

These measures are in place to protect our facility and our community. Please know that our providers and clinical teams are well-trained and prepared to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, seasonal flu and other respiratory illnesses.

What you can do

It’s easy to feel helpless when faced with a barrage of news reports and social media updates regarding COVID-19. The good news is that there are some key steps you can take to help protect you and your loved ones and help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19:

  • Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
  • Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth
  • Staying home when you are sick
  • Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash
  • Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces, including your phone, computer, remote controls and doorknobs
  • Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
  • Using an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not readily available (Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty)
  • Practicing social distancing behaviors, including working from home, avoiding public gatherings and unnecessary travel, and maintaining a distance of approximately six feet from others when possible.

What to do if you are experiencing symptoms

First and foremost – if you are having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or go directly to the Emergency Room. If possible, notify the dispatch agent that your emergency involves symptoms possibly related to COVID-19.

For non-emergency needs, if you need medical attention due to respiratory illness symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) and plan to visit our hospital, your primary care provider or an urgent clinic, please call ahead before you go and let them know that you are experiencing symptoms that may possibly be related to COVID-19. This will allow providers to properly prepare for your visit and take the necessary precautions to keep others from being infected or exposed.

Please be reassured that our number one priority is the health and well-being of our community – and that includes you. We are prepared to manage an outbreak of respiratory illness, and we encourage you to follow the guidance above and stay tuned to updates from the CDC to help protect you and your loved ones. Keeping our community healthy is a community effort, and we are committed to doing everything we can to keep our community healthy today and for generations to come.

For more information and to stay abreast of the latest updates on COVID-19, you can visit https://www.mariaparham.com/coronavirus-covid-19-preparedness-information and www.cdc.gov. 

Granville County Public Schools

GCPS Offering FREE Drive-Thru Breakfast/Lunch for Children

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

Starting Monday, March 16, we will open drive-thru lunch service sites at the following schools:

  • Butner Stem Middle School
  • Mt. Energy Elementary School
  • CG Credle Elementary School   

Families can visit any of these sites between the hours of 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and get a FREE bagged lunch and breakfast for the next day.

These FREE meals are available for all children between the ages of 2-18.

We will expand these sites in the coming days and make home delivery available to students with special circumstances.  We do not want a single child to go hungry during this period when school is closed.

Please take advantage of this opportunity and help spread the word to your friends, family and neighbors.  Thank you!

City of Henderson Logo

Mayor Addresses Coronavirus; City Temporarily Suspends Water Disconnections

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-Press Release, Office of Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington

As communities begin to feel the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the City of Henderson would like to share with you the steps we are taking to help protect the health and safety of our citizens and employees, which is always our top priority.

We are closely monitoring local and national reports on the evolving impact of COVID-19. Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Vance County Department of Health and Human Services and other applicable public health agencies, we are taking the proper recommended precautions.

In all City facilities, we have added extra sanitation measures. We are encouraging frequent hand washing. We are considering social distancing policies and employee travel bans aimed at protecting the health and well-being of our teammates and the public. We are canceling all advisory boards and commissions meetings for the next thirty days.

We realize that you depend on us, and we are committed to serving our citizens. The City’s mission is simple, yet powerful: provide quality services to protect the health, safety and welfare of our citizens.

We feel deeply for those who have been affected already. The City of Henderson is here to help in any way possible.  Again, the health and safety of our citizens and employees is our top priority, and we are committed to doing our part to keep Henderson safe.

To that end, the City of Henderson will temporarily suspend water disconnections.

During this time, we want to ensure all Henderson Water customers have access to clean drinking water and wastewater services. We will continue to monitor guidance from public health agencies and provide updates on this policy moving forward.

We encourage all customers to avoid paying bills in person and to utilize alternate payment methods, including by mail, drop box, online or by calling 866-270-5612.

Please reach out to the City Manager (252) 430-5701 if you have any questions or concerns.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

G-V Public Health Recommends Canceling, Modifying Events of 100+ People

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, Granville Vance Public Health

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Granville Vance Public Health recommends that organizers of events that draw more than 100 people cancel, postpone, or modify these events, or offer online streaming services beginning March 13, 2020, until further notice. These events include large gatherings where people are in close contact (less than 6 feet), such as concerts, conferences, sporting events, faith-based events and other large gatherings.

Organizations that gather up to 100 people should create an emergency plan and prepare for COVID-19 in their communities by taking the following steps:

  • Consider alternative options to gathering large groups of people, such as streaming video of the event or having patrons participate online.
  • Instruct participants to stay home if they are sick.
  • Encourage people who are at a higher risk for complications from COVID-19, including people over 65 and those with pre-existing medical conditions, to consult with their doctor before attending.
  • Have hygiene supplies available for employees and participants, including hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol, tissues, and lined trash cans.
  • Promote behaviors that prevent the spread COVID-19 among participants and employees using the enclosed resources.
  • During and after the event, disinfect frequently-touched surfaces with a cleaning agent that is effective against coronaviruses.
  • Decrease close contact between attendees at the event. For example, place seats farther apart or reduce the number of attendees.

Please let us know if you would like additional educational information for distribution or you may access these materials online through the CDC website here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/factsheets.html or through the NC DHHS website here: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina/materials-and

 The local risk of contracting COVID-19 remains low; however, we still encourage you to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19 and any other flu-like illness by taking the following steps:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • If soap and water are not available, use a generous amount of hand sanitizer which is at least 60% alcohol on all surfaces of the hands and wrists.
  • Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
  • Stay away from sick people.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces – especially ones that are frequently touched – using regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
  • Stay home if you’re sick and don’t send sick children to school or childcare.
  • High-risk individuals should avoid large gatherings such as concerts, church services, and sporting events.

As questions and concerns about coronavirus (COVID-19) increase across North Carolina, we’d like to encourage the promotion of the statewide Coronavirus Helpline (1-866-462-3821) for the public, which is answered 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.

Granville County Public Schools

GCPS Coronavirus Update: School Closure Not Recommended at This Time

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

This afternoon, GCPS Board Chairman David Richardson and Superintendent Alisa McLean both participated in a conference call with the NC Governor’s office. During this call today, it was shared that at this time, NC does NOT recommend preemptive closures of public schools.

Closing schools at this time is unlikely to prevent the spread of the virus and may have negative impacts on the community and our families. Our local Health Department is also NOT recommending school closure at this time.

Instead, it is recommended that we continue to take steps to help prevent the spread. These include frequent and thorough cleaning of facilities and buses, frequent hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer, respecting personal space and covering your cough and sneeze, and finally, having students and staff who have cold and flu-like symptoms to stay home.

In addition, the district has suspended all field trips, athletics, community meetings and non-essential work-related travel for staff. As of Monday, March 16, all school-based afternoon and evening events are suspended, including all community use of facilities. In addition, visitors to our schools will be limited to parents or guardians and essential GCPS employees only and restricted to designated parts of each school campus.

We are also considering making adjustments in the way students interact within our schools, including assemblies, serving of meals, and pick-up and drop-off procedures.

Please know that as of today, there are still NO confirmed cases in our county. We will continue to monitor this fast-moving situation closely, and provide additional updates as needed should conditions change. Our Board of Education will be meeting on Monday, March 16 and will address this topic at this time. As always, the meeting will be live-streamed and the link may be found on our district website HERE.

Thank you all for your continued patience, support and trust as we navigate this unprecedented situation TOGETHER!

Franklin County Logo

Franklin County Government Makes Operational Adjustments

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-Press Release, Franklin County Government

Franklin County Government is taking precautionary measures by making the following operational changes in light of Corona Virus concerns:

Department of Aging
Louisburg and Franklinton Senior Centers are closed to the public for all classes, events, activities and congregate meals until further notice. Adult Day Care and Meals On Wheels will operate on normal schedule. Please call the center if you wish to purchase Ensure or Glucerna. The Louisburg Senior Center number is (919) 496-1131. The Franklinton Senior Center can be reached at (919) 496-5611.

Library
The number of attendees at meetings in meeting rooms will be limited to 10 persons (including the person organizing the meeting) at Franklinton, Youngsville and Bunn Libraries. Library patrons who have scheduled the Justice Street Annex in Louisburg will be limited to no more than 18 persons for the larger space in that building and no more than six persons in the conference room at one time.

Library programming for children is canceled indefinitely.

Parks & Recreation
Parks & Recreation programs and events are suspended until April 6, 2020. Any further modifications will be communicated to participants in a timely manner. Parks & Recreation facilities are open for public use. Reservations for picnic shelters and ballfield rentals are still being accepted. The department is asking everyone to follow the Governor’s
recommendations for gatherings including:

• Avoid being closer than six feet (or three feet at a minimum) for longer than 10 minutes with anyone, especially those who may be ill.
• No gathering of more than 75 people.

Additional Information Resources

Franklin County Corona Virus COVID-19 Joint Information Center (JIC)
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
(919) 496-8113 (Franklin-County-Specific Virus Information)
Franklin County residents may also choose to email their questions/concerns to CoronaVirus@franklincountync.us.
https://www.franklincountync.us/services/health

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-northcarolina.

Vance Co. Schools Announces Procedure Changes Due to Coronavirus Risk

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Over the past few days, Vance County Schools has been in close dialogue with the Health Department and can confirm that at the time of this writing there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 or Coronavirus in Vance County.

As such, our efforts will continue to be focused on prevention and following best practices to keep students and staff healthy. These include:

  • Regular, thorough cleaning in our buildings
  • Frequent hand-washing and use of hand sanitizer
  • Respecting personal space

Also, we ask that all students and staff who have cold or flu-like symptoms to stay home until fever-free for 24 hours and seek medical care as needed. These efforts will promote healthy school environments for everyone. Consistent with guidance from the Granville Vance Health Department, we are implementing the following:

School Closure: Currently, there are no plans to close schools. Should this change, we will alert you via our standard communications procedures (ConnectED, Twitter, Facebook, District Website).

Field Trips & Travel: Out of an abundance of caution, all field trips will be suspended for the next four weeks, effective immediately. We will attempt to reschedule these events at a later date if possible. While we make no promises, for those trips that may have involved fees or deposits, we will do our best to work with the companies to secure refunds and/or credits as allowed, given the uniqueness of the situation. We are also suspending all non-essential work-related travel for Vance County Schools staff, including professional development workshops and conferences.

School Events & Visitors: All school-based events that draw crowds will be evaluated by the district to determine the best scenario, as we gain an understanding of COVID-19 and its progression. We are also monitoring our volunteers and visitors on all campuses to reduce potential exposure to our students and staff.

Athletics: The North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors decided to suspend all interscholastic athletics beginning at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2020, through Monday, April 6, 2020. This means that all workouts, practices, games and skill development sessions for all middle and high school athletics in the state of North Carolina must be suspended. The NCHSAA will continue to assess the situation with COVID-19 to determine the next steps and we will keep our community informed of new information.

This situation is very fluid and we will continue to post updates on our website at www.vcs.k12.nc.us.

Facility Rentals: All facility rentals for Vance County Schools will be canceled until further notice. This allows us to keep our schools disinfected, ensuring the safety of our students and staff. If you have a rental scheduled you will be contacted by the district on the next steps.

Proactive Steps: As previously shared, our custodians, maintenance and transportation are continuing to proactively disinfect frequently surfaces and buses. We will also continue sanitizing our buildings and provide hand sanitizing stations throughout every building in the district.

We realize these cancellations and changes will come as disappointments to many, but please understand our Vance County Schools family is of the utmost importance – and is what drives our decisions as we work to keep everyone safe.

We hope you will join us in taking precautions to keep our students, staff and schools healthy so we can continue educating our students. We will keep you posted with additional updates as needed.

NCHSAA

NCHSAA: Basketball State Championships, Interscholastic Athletics Suspended

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-Press Release, NCHSAA

Due to the threat from COVID-19, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has made the decision to postpone the 2020 Men’s and Women’s Basketball State Championships indefinitely.

“As much as we would like this opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, and their communities, we know that ultimately any decision we make must err on the side of caution,” said Commissioner Que Tucker.

The Board of Directors also moved to suspend interscholastic athletics beginning at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2020, through at least Monday, April 6, 2020. The NCHSAA Board of Directors will assess this situation regularly over the next few weeks. This includes all workouts, skill development, practices and contests.

Granville County Public Schools

Coronavirus Prompts GCPS to Cancel Field Trips, Suspend Work-Related Travel

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools has been in close dialogue with the Health Department and can confirm that there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 or Coronavirus in Granville County.

We continue to focus our efforts on prevention and following best practices to keep students and staff healthy. This includes regular, thorough cleaning in our buildings, frequent hand-washing and use of hand sanitizer, and respecting personal space. Also, we ask that all students and staff who have cold or flu-like symptoms stay home and seek medical care as needed. These efforts will promote healthy school environments for everyone.

Out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to temporarily suspend all out-of-county and overnight field trips for the next four weeks effective immediately. We will attempt to reschedule these events at a later date if possible. While we make no promises, for those trips may have involved fees or deposits, we will do our very best to work with the companies to secure refunds and/or credits as allowed. Schools will be sending out details about impacted trips soon.

Also, we will follow the guidelines set forth by the NCHSAA as it relates to our student-athletes. Finally, we are also suspending all non-essential work-related travel for staff.

We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. We hope you will join us in taking precautions to keep our students, staff and schools healthy so we can continue educating our students. We will keep you posted with additional updates as needed. In the meantime, wash those hands and stay healthy!