The Greater Greenbrier COVID-19 Task Force met this morning via conference call and reports the following information.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT. Cases are significantly increasing. Our infection rate is high, and our daily percent positive remains low. Greenbrier County has 332 confirmed cases, 3 suspect cases, 77 probable cases, 259 recovered cases, 146 active cases, 13 hospitalized, and 7 deaths. These numbers will be updated this afternoon and will include additional deaths, unfortunately.
THANKSGIVING. With Thanksgiving coming this week, we are scared. Too many people have no intentions of following guidelines, which will weaken our public health. Please mask AND social distance AND wash your hands. Some folks are asking if they should be tested before Thanksgiving gatherings? A negative test isn’t enough by itself to guarantee safety due to timing issues.
TESTING. Please do not show up to the Emergency Room for a COVID test. That’s not helpful right now to our emergency rooms which are dealing with urgent situations. Please utilize community testing at RCB Clinic, MedExpress, Greenbrier Physicians, Rainelle Medical Center, etc. Because all these medical offices are providing testing, our capacity to provide testing is much better than other counties in the state. We are doing hundreds of tests every single day across the county.
CASE FORMULA. Folks often ask what the formula for cases used in posts each day is. The formula is: Confirmed + probable + suspect = active + recovered + deaths.
COVID SYMPTOMS. We are seeing lots of positive cases from folks who feel like they just have allergies. Therefore, they are going to work and being around people and therefore infecting others. If you have any symptoms, please go get a test and isolate until you have a result.
RAINELLE MEDICAL. All locations closed Thursday & Friday.
COMMITTEE ON AGING. We divided our staff into two groups so that in case we do have a positive in a group, we will continue to have staff availability to provide services in the other group.
HOMELAND SECURITY. All first responder agencies are in service. But we are seeing positive cases among first responders. We have a list of vendors where you can get PPE and cleaning materials for folks who need them.
WV SENATE. Some folks are asking if we should expect any further executive orders or limitations? It’s hard to say, but I expect a targeted approach in counties with high infection rates where further limitations are enacted to stop the spread. Other folks are asking if we should expect more community testing? Probably not at the moment. The state isn’t offering resources to aid that, and the county health departments are swamped. We are fortunate in Greenbrier County to have significant testing capacity in medical offices across the county.
THE HUB. Tutoring and dinners continue to be available. Dinner is free for students and $5 for adults. Call ahead 304-647-4994 by noon to place your order, pickup between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.! We are using local produce and cooking from scratch.
FREE TUTORING. Free, quality tutoring is available 10 a.m.-6 p.m. from Monday-Wednesday at the High Rocks Hub and Marvel Center (or virtually). To sign up for tutoring, email Jennifer.mason@dinsmore.com or tammy.bennett@dinsmore.com.
Submitted by Senator Stephen Baldwin, chair of the Task Force.
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