Due to the amount of news that happened today, there will be no regular COVID-19 Update. Instead, the focus will be on the local COVID News.
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COVID Numbers from Macon County Public Health
(the numbers will be filled in once the latest numbers are released)
524 Detected Cases (+7 since Friday)
43 Active Positive (-1 since Friday)
477 Recovered (+8 since Friday)
4 Death (unchanged)
Testing Data for Macon County
4828 MCPH Tests (+65 since Friday)
1680 Tests by Others (unchanged)
6508 Total Tests (+65 since Friday)
244 Tests Pending Results (+28 since Friday)
Macon County COVID-19 News
**updates**
**7:08pm** Press release from Macon County Schools:
Following the emergency meeting of the Macon County Board of Education, Union Academy, Mountain View Intermediate School & Macon Middle School will suspend face to face instruction beginning Wednesday, August 26, through Friday, September 11, 2020. Highlands, Nantahala and Macon Early College will continue on with their current plan. Franklin area K-4 will continue on with their current plan throughout the remainder of this week and will then be re-evaluated.
The suspension of instruction was not based on an outbreak of positive cases. The suspension of instruction is due to the loss of staff due to quarantine.
Macon County Schools will continue to work closely with the Macon County Health Department as we move forward.
*************************
**6:20pm** the board has adjourned. Board Chair Jim Breedlove was reminding those listening that the school shutdowns are due to a lack of staff that are quarantined, not the number of positive cases. He was cut off when the video prematurely ended.
Recap: At FHS, there are three positive cases, 49 students and 13 staff members that have had to be quarantined due to possible exposure. The school will be on remote learning until September 11th when they will re-evaluate. Three schools, Union Academy, Mountain View Intermediate, and macon Middle have been closed and switched to remote learning until September 11th for the same reason. They will be re-evaluated on September 11th. The other schools will be re-evaluated on Friday.
**6:00pm** The school board has voted 5 to 0 to close Union Academy, Mountain View Intermediate, and Macon Middle School at the end of the school day tomorrow until September 11th to in-person instruction and will go to remote learning. Other schools will be evaluated on Friday for additions if needed.
**end update**
In other local COVID News, The Macon County Board of education will be having an emergency meeting tonight at 5:30pm. The meeting will be streamed live and Macon Media will have it embedded below. Also, Macon County Emergency Management reports that two EMS personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 and have been isolated. The Macon County Public Health Department reports another employee has been tested positive for COVID-19 and is being isolated. The press releases regarding this information have been posted below in the order in which they were received.
Macon County Emergency Management
PRESS RELEASE
11:39am
Two Macon County EMS employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Both have been isolating at home and doing well. All EMS employees wear masks and other appropriate personal protective equipment on all patient encounters. Sanitation with specialized cleaning equipment occurs regularly on all ambulances and crew quarters. The healthcare system in general is still considered very safe due to the measures taken in an effort to ensure the safety and well-being of the general public and minimizing the risk for exposure within the system.
Macon County Emergency Services has contingency plans in place to ensure continuity of operations of the emergency medical system in the event of widespread illness that leads to employee shortages. The public should rest assured that when they dial 9-1-1 someone will be there to provide safe and effective care when they need it.
Macon County Board of Education
EMERGENCY MEETING NOTICE
12:45pm
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING- COVID-19 CONCERNS
The Macon County Board of Education will hold an Emergency Meeting today, Monday, August 24, 2020 beginning at 5:30 pm in the board room of the Macon County Schools Administrative Offices. At the recommendation of public health officials, this meeting will be closed to the general public. The meeting will be live streamed and can be accessed by visiting www.macon.k12.nc.us
Live Video Board of Education Begins at 5:30pm
Press Release
3:48pm
Macon County Public Health Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19
Macon County has identified that a third Macon County Public Health employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee is isolating at home and doing well. Close contacts of the employee have been notified and tested. The necessary steps to disinfect the affected area have been performed.
Since March, Macon County has implemented strong infection control standards in all county facilities to
protect employees and citizens. These measures include:
• providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees who need it,
• limiting access to county building and congregate areas, • implementing a health screening process for all employees, such as taking temperatures before work, • assuring that employees who work in an office-based setting are maintaining social distancing measures,
• moving to appointment-based services and limiting walk-in services, and
• implementing teleworking agreements for some personnel to work from home (should their job allow).
Macon County Public Health is confident the risk of exposure for employees and citizens is minimal, and by
implementing these measures, the county has been and will continue to provide services safely.
Community transmission is still occurring in Macon County, and MCPH encourages all individuals and
organizations remain vigilant to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Macon County recommends that business
owners consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on what employers and
employees should do if they have been exposed to COVID-19. Macon County leadership is committed to
remaining transparent with the public and encourages businesses to be open with the public as well. For more
guidance about employee exposure, visit the CDC at: https://bit.ly/critical_workers.
It is important to make sure the information you are getting about COVID-19 is coming directly from reliable
sources like Macon County Public Health, CDC, and NCDHHS. For more information, please visit the CDC’s
website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus and NCDHHS’ website at www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus, which will also
include future positive COVID-19 test results in North Carolina.
Symptoms for COVID-19 are fever, cough, and other lower respiratory illness (shortness of breath). If you
believe that you may have COVID-19, please call the Health Department at 828-349-2517. The call center is
open Monday through Friday from 8:30am – 4:00pm, closing daily for lunch from 12:00pm – 1:00pm, until
further notice.
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Published at 4:44pm on Monday, August 24, 2020
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