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-Information courtesy Franklin County Government
On Friday, 4/24/2020, the Franklin County Health Department (FCHD) received positive coronavirus test-result notifications on two (2) employees. The two (2) employees do not serve as healthcare providers within the department.
The first employee was last at work on Thursday, 4/09/2020 at 5 p.m., and first reported mild symptoms on Saturday, 4/11/2020. This employee has not been inside the FCHD since 4/9/2020.
As per the employee’s healthcare provider’s guidance, a coronavirus test sample was collected on Monday, 4/20/2020, but the results were “inconclusive.” A second sample was collected on Wednesday, 4/22/202, with positive test results being reported to the Health Department later in the morning on Friday, 4/24/2020. As noted above, this employee was last in the health department on 4/9/2020.
The second employee was tested on Wednesday, 4/22/2020, after reporting symptoms they initially thought were allergies. Following sample collection, the employee was sent home and given instructions to isolate. Their positive coronavirus test-results were received a little after 9 a.m. on Friday 4/24/2020.
Immediately after the Health Department received notification of the first positive test result, all non-health department staff were instructed to leave the department. All appointments were canceled, and a total of 48 Health Department staff were tested for coronavirus, with 42 employees being sent home with written instructions on isolation and symptom monitoring. The remaining seven (7) department staff canceled all appointments for Monday, 4/27/2020, and prepared the facility for disinfecting which occurred on Saturday, 4/25/2020.
Test results for all staff should be available by late Sunday (4/26/20) afternoon, or earlier Monday (4/27/2020) morning. Only staff who receive a negative test result are allowed to return to work.
As of the date and time of this release, all face-to-face: clinical services; care management services; and WIC are canceled for Monday, 4/27/2020. Patients will be able to speak by phone to staff in those programs on Monday, 4/27/2020 if needed.
Patients whose appointments were canceled have been notified and the department will contact you on rescheduling those appointments. The Health Department anticipates a resumption of these services on Tuesday, 4/28/2020.
Environmental Health Services (septic, wells, food & lodging inspections, etc.) and the Franklin County Home Health Agency services will continue to operate remotely (as they have been doing for some time). Limited drop-off service will be available for Environmental Health needs.
The Franklin County Health Department continues to conduct contact tracing for COVID-19, so any individual suspected of being exposed to the coronavirus will be notified by Health Department staff and given specific instructions on what they need to do next.
As noted above, only Health Department employees with a negative test result will return to work on Monday, 4/27/2020 or thereafter.
Look for more updates from the Franklin COVID-19 EOC as more information becomes available.