News Flash

• People, not numbers:

·         This week we have seen a slight slowdown in positive COVID-19 cases in Haywood County. While this is good news, it doesn’t mean that we should stop being vigilant. Take a look at the increase in cases in Macon County.  They have seen a dramatic rise in cases from clusters at a church and two workplaces.

o   Many of the recent Haywood County cases are related to county residents traveling out of state to vacation areas, then returning home and spreading the virus into their workplace and household. It’s vital that Haywood County residents be aware of the risks involved in travel.  If you are considering taking a vacation out of state, pause a moment to weigh the risks, and make wise choices.  It’s best for you and your loved ones to consider a “staycation” for now. Remember, as we said in last week’s message, the key to safely navigating reopening are the 4 C’s: avoid physical CONTACT, avoid indoor activities in CONFINED spaces, avoid CROWDS, and make wise and realistic CHOICES. 

o   Some recent cases have been exposed to the virus by a co-worker or family member, then spread it further by attending a social gathering.

o   Generally speaking, what we are seeing is COVID being spread indoors in shared airspace by pre-symptomatic people during the sort of prolonged exposure periods that can happen at work, at home, at crowded locations, and at social get-togethers. This pre-symptomatic spread is why it’s vital to continue wearing masks, keeping at least six feet of distance, and washing hands regularly to minimize COVID-19’s reach in our community.

• This week we are pleased to introduce our Haywood County COVID Dashboard, where you can find a running count of reported testing, confirmed case info by date, zip code, gender, and age group!  The dashboard will be updated each weekday. https://www.haywoodcountync.gov/684/Coronavirus-Covid-19-Information PLEASE NOTE:  The dashboard cannot be viewed with Internet Explorer or Edge.  Use Google Chrome or Firefox.

• Just a reminder: the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has also implemented new tools to help people know if they should consider being tested for COVID-19 and to find a nearby testing place.
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  • The link to the symptom checker is here: https://ncdhhs-covid19-dtra.powerappsportals.us/
  • The link to find testing in your community can be found here: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/about-covid-19/testing/find-my-testing-place
  • The testing location resource does not seem to be fully populated. If you work in a facility that is offering testing and wants to be listed, visit this link to submit information for your practice: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfVFRrPk0xN_SAHW4vSUQgejMsJ6eR4SLGsfgovj-hCRpEdEQ/viewform

• There’s been quite a lot of internet chatter about masks and concerns about dangers related to wearing them.  I’ve attached an interesting article that discusses concerns about breathing while wearing a mask. It also gives tips on how to improve your breathing in general to increase oxygenation throughout the body and improve stress levels.

• As always, please be sure to check reliable sources for COVID-19 information. 
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  • https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/
  • https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
  • https://www.haywoodcountync.gov/684/Coronavirus-Covid-19-Information
  • https://www.facebook.com/haywoodcountync.gov/
  • And, of course, our new resource:  https://www.haywoodcountync.gov/684/Coronavirus-Covid-19-Information  PLEASE NOTE:  The dashboard cannot be viewed with Internet Explorer or Edge.  Use Google Chrome or Firefox.