Caldwell Health Department Opens Health Information Line to Answer Questions About Coronavirus

LENOIR, NC (March 17, 2020) — The Caldwell County Health Department opened its Health Information Line to provide about Coronavirus (COVID-19). To access the line, people can call (828) 426-8456.

If a person believes they have been exposed to COVID-19 and develops a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, they should call their healthcare provider, urgent care, or the health department and tell them about their symptoms and suspected exposure.

“If we know people are symptomatic prior to their arrival at healthcare facilities, we can provide them with instructions and take precautions to help prevent further spread of the virus,” explained Caldwell County Health Department Director Anna Martin. “In many cases, we may be able to test patients in their cars.”

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services developed the guidelines below to help people assess their own risk.

No Risk	Walking by or briefly being in the same room as a person who tested positive for COVID-19
Low Risk	Being in the same room as a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 and had symptoms but not within six feet of the infected person
Medium Risk	Sustained close contact (10 minutes or longer) within six feet of a person with COVID-19 while they had symptoms
High Risk	Close household contacts of people with a confirmed case of COVID-19

The following are recommended ways to protect against the spread of COVID-19:

• Clean hands often.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Practice social distancing.

Additional Updates

All branches of the Caldwell County Public Library are closed until further notice. Customers still have 24/7 access to their accounts and digital resources at ccpl.libguides.com/mainpage. Book drops are open at all three locations so that customers can return items, but due dates have been pushed back until March 30, 2020. All holds on materials have been suspended until the library reopens, and no fines will accrue for materials due after March 15, 2020.

For more information, visit www.CaldwellCountyNC.org.

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