Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in subcontracted workers

Posted 05/27/20 at 3:50 p.m.

Appalachian District Health Department (AppHealthCare) has informed Appalachian State University it has confirmed three additional subcontractors with university connections have tested positive for COVID-19.

Two individuals are Watauga County residents whose last days on campus were May 16 and May 22, respectively. The other individual, whose last day on campus was May 20, is not a resident of Watauga County. All three have fully cooperated with isolation instructions and are recovering at home.

Public health staff have identified close contacts, who are in quarantine and who are being provided access to testing during their quarantine period.

The university is working with AppHealthCare to implement some key operational measures:

• AppHealthCare and App State are partnering together with all construction contractors working at the university to conduct broader testing at worksites, including those that have not experienced a positive case to date.
• The university is implementing enhanced precautionary measures with employees who are on campus as well as with subcontracted workers, which include wearing face coverings, maintaining appropriate physical distance and reviewing North Carolina Governor’s Executive Orders 131 and 135, which require all individuals to wear face coverings when they cannot maintain six feet of distance in public areas or work centers.
• We continue to hear of self-reported cases that are not being tested by AppHealthCare or App State. As we learn of these cases, we are coordinating with local public health agencies to the greatest extent possible, in consultation with the North Carolina Division of Public Health Communicable Disease team. AppHealthCare continues to be a valuable university partner, helping verify tests that may have been performed in other counties.

App State and AppHealthCare will work together to continue monitoring COVID-19 at the university and in our community and to keep the public informed.

Students who are concerned about symptoms should call Student Health Services at 828-262-3100 and ask to speak with a nurse. Faculty or staff who have concerns about students or their own health diagnoses should reach out to safety@appstate.edu.

It is important to rely on official sources of information for facts about COVID-19, not share unconfirmed information, and practice prevention measures like handwashing, covering your coughs and sneezes, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.

The university has a dedicated website about its response to COVID-19.

AppHealthCare has developed a website dashboard case count that will be updated regularly. App State will continue to keep the university community informed about verified, positive cases.

Read AppHealthCare’s media release here.

Below is information Public Health has shared with the university and High Country communities regarding COVID-19:

How to Protect Yourself:

• Practice social distancing which means avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people, keeping 6 feet or more between you and others and remaining at home to the greatest extent possible
• Frequent hand washing
• Cover your coughs and sneezes
• Keep distance from others who are sick
• Avoid touching your face
• Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces in common areas like doorknobs, remotes, light switches, tables and handles
• If you are at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, stay home to the greatest extent possible to decrease the chance of infection
• Wear cloth mask or face covering when out in public where you may be around people like grocery stores or pharmacies - more information about face coverings can be found on the AppHealthCare website.

COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) Signs & Symptoms:

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of reported symptoms. 

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

People at high risk include anyone who:

• Is 65 years of age or older
• Lives in a nursing home or long-term care facility
• Has a high-risk condition that includes:
  • Chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
  • Heart disease with complications
  • Compromised immune system
  • Severe obesity - body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher
  • Other underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, such as diabetes, renal failure or liver disease

People who are at high risk should stay home to the greatest extent possible to decrease the chance of infection.

Testing:

You should be tested if:

• You believe you have symptoms of COVID-19
• If you have no symptoms and you are at higher risk for severe illness (you are 65 or older, you have an underlying health condition or chronic condition), or have been in close contact with someone who is known to have a positive result.
• If you are someone working in a frontline role or essential business where social distancing is hard to maintain
• If you are a first responder, law enforcement officer, fire department staff member, or healthcare staff member, please reach out if you would like to be tested
• If you live in or work in a facility where social distancing is hard to maintain, like congregate living, healthcare facilities or home care

For testing, call your healthcare provider or AppHealthCare. Please do not just show up to a healthcare provider without calling first. This will help your provider prepare should you need to be tested and lessen the potential exposure to others. AppHealthCare will serve anyone, regardless of their ability to pay. As is our usual day-to-day practice, a patient will not be turned away due to inability to pay. 

Members of the App State community who are concerned about symptoms they might be experiencing can contact Student Health Service at (828) 262-3100 or AppHealthCare at (828) 264-4995. 

If you have a medical emergency, please call 911 immediately. 

Managing Your Overall Health: 

During this time, it is important to manage your overall health. There are resources available if you need to reduce anxiety or stress, are experiencing suicidal thoughts, need to better manage chronic conditions and more. Visit the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services website. 

AppHealthCare is available and on-call 24/7 to respond to public health emergencies. To reach us, call 828-264-4995 anytime and follow the prompts. AppHealthCare has set up a COVID-19 hotline at 828-795-1970 for information during regular business hours. We will continue to monitor COVID-19 in our community and will work to keep the public informed. Please visit our website for more information - www.AppHealthCare.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Questions from agencies requesting support on COVID-19 response, planning efforts, etc. can contact preparedness@apphealth.com.

Additional Resources:

• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) coronavirus information.
• North Carolina resources can be found on the Division of Public Health website.
• To view the case count for North Carolina, including a county map.
• App State’s dedicated website about its response to COVID-19.
• A COVID-19 toll free helpline has been set up to answer general, non-emergent questions at 866-462-3821. To submit questions online, go to www.ncpoisoncontrol.org and select “chat.”

For the latest official situation updates:

• Appalachian State University COVID-19 information
• Local information from AppHealthCare (Appalachian Regional Health Department)
• North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services (NCDHHS) coronavirus information
• CDC situation summary information
• Latest information from the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS)
• Guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO)