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From YouTube: Buncombe County COVID-19 Media Briefing - March 20, 2020
Description
Buncombe County Government's Media Briefing concerning updated information about Coronavirus that took place on March 20, 2020. For up-to-date information please visit buncombecounty.org/bcready
A
Good
afternoon
today's
date
is
March
20th
2020.
We
are
here
for
the
media
briefing
on
the
kovat
19
response
in
Baucom.
County
I
realized
that
there
is
a
slight
delay
for
those
of
you
who
may
be
viewing
this
on.
Facebook
live
so
just
to
reassure
you.
We
started
a
bit
late
and
so
we're
not
exactly
on
schedule,
but
we
are
going
to
do
everything
we
can
to
accommodate
questions
considering
the
delay.
A
So
please
make
mute.
Your
phones,
if
you
are
calling
in
on
the
conference
line
the
Inc
the
this
is
being
streamed,
live
on
Buncombe,
County,
goverment's,
Facebook
page
and
that
handle
is
at
Buncombe
gov
bu
in
Co,
MB
e
govt
and
the
simultaneous
Spanish
version
of
this
conference
is
being
aired
on
the
Buncombe
County
Health
and
Human
Services
Facebook
page,
and
that
Facebook
handle
is
at
BC
HHS.
A
Today
we
have
dr.
Jennifer,
mullendore,
Buncombe,
County
medical
director
and
intern
Public,
Health
Director
speaking
to
us
to
give
a
situation
update.
We
have
dr.
William
Hathaway,
the
chief
medical
officer
with
mission
health,
and
we
have
Fletcher
Taub,
Buncombe,
County,
Health
and
Human
Services
Public
Health
preparedness
director
and,
at
this
point,
I
will
turn
it
over
to
dr.
mollendorf
for
an
update.
After
all,
the
updates
have
been
provided.
We
will
answer
some
q
and
A's
Thanks.
B
Good
afternoon,
at
this
time
there
remains
only
one
known
case
of
kovat
19
associated
with
Buncombe
County.
However,
the
case
count
continues
to
increase
across
the
state
as
of
9:30.
This
morning
there
are
137
cases
of
kovat
19
in
North
Carolina
and
yesterday
the
first
known
case
of
community
transmission
of
kovat
19
in
North
Carolina,
was
reported
in
Wilson
County.
B
From
Tuesday,
through
Thursday
of
this
week,
a
total
of
370
specimens
were
collected
through
the
Buncombe
County
Health
and
Human
Services
community
testing
sites
at
UNC,
Asheville
and
Biltmore
Church
and
Arden,
and
over
700
tests
have
been
collected
on
individuals
in
Buncombe
County
as
a
whole
through
11
o'clock.
This
morning,
we
expect
that
the
results
of
many
of
those
tests
will
return
early
next
week,
as
we
continue
into
this
new
phase
of
response.
The
role
of
testing
for
kovat
19
is
being
reevaluated
to
ensure
appropriate
management
of
resources
and
gathering
of
important
data.
B
B
Regardless
of
whether
a
person,
who
is
mildly
ill
with
fever
and
cough
gets
tested
for
kovat,
19
or
not,
the
medical
guidance
remains
the
same
stay
at
home
until
your
symptoms
have
improved
specifically.
People
with
fever
and
respiratory
symptoms,
including
those
people
who
have
laboratory-confirmed
kovat
19,
should
isolate
themselves
at
home
until
the
following
conditions
are
met.
B
B
We
want
to
make
sure
that
we
have
critical
resources
both
now
and
in
the
coming
weeks
to
months
as
it
is
likely
that
this
outbreak
will
continue
for
the
foreseeable
future,
based
on
all
of
this
information
and
in
an
effort
to
ensure
the
most
effective
use
of
our
resources,
our
testing
supplies,
personal
protective
equipment
and
healthcare
personnel.
We
at
Buncombe,
County,
Health
and
Human
Services
decided
not
to
open
our
community
testing
sites.
C
C
So
today
we
look
good.
We
continue
to
secure
our
supply
for
the
community
and
and
we
will
continue
to
update
people.
The
second
issue
I
wanna
address
is
the
testing,
as
dr.
mullendore
spoke
about,
we've
gotten
lots
and
lots
of
concern
about
who
should
be
tested
and
when
they
should
be
tested
and
I
want
to
reiterate
that
the
testing
process
itself
consumes
personal
protective
equipment,
and
for
that
reason
we
are
encouraging
people,
as
dr.
mullendore
said,
to
contact
their
doctor.
If
they
have
symptoms.
C
Strategize
with
them
about
whether
they
need
to
seen
or
not
seen
and
in
general,
what
we
advocate
is
that
if
you
wouldn't
go
to
the
doctor
for
this
illness
and
for
a
routine
virus,
then
we
advocate
likely
that
you
don't
need
testing.
We
are
truly
reserving
the
testing
for
those
who
are
sickest
so
that
we
can
prioritize
the
treatment
of
patients
rather
than
the
identification
of
patients
early
and
then
the
last
thing
I'd
like
to
address
is
the
issue
of
consumption
of
protective
equipment.
C
While
we
are
continuing
to
perform
procedures,
it's
always
a
gentle
and
delicate
balance
to
determine
what
procedures
are
truly
necessary
for
patient
today
versus
what
equipment
may
be
available
tomorrow
and
we've
fully
understood
that
there
have
been
guidance
from
secretary
Mandy
cone
from
the
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services
about
elective
surgeries.
We
have
actively
been
crafting
updates
on
that
or
processes
on
that
in
our
health
system
and
we'll
provide
an
update
on
that
later
today
or
tomorrow.
For
everybody
happy
to
take
questions
later.
D
D
That
leads
us
to
two
possible
scenarios.
The
first
scenario
is
that
we
have
a
fast
pandemic.
The
second
is
that
we
have
a
slope
and
emic
and
a
fast
pandemic.
We
have
a
big
spike
of
people
getting
sick
all
at
once,
and
they
overwhelm
our
healthcare
system
and
we
have
to
prioritize
treatments,
and
many
people
may
die
in
a
slow
pandemic.
D
D
D
D
Now
that
we
spoken
to
the
intent
of
the
declaration,
I'll
attempt
to
clarify
the
message.
First,
yesterday's
declaration
limited
all
public
gatherings
to
more
than
no
more
than
10
people
across
the
county.
We
want
to
eliminate
as
many
interactions
as
possible
across
the
board
where
people
are
within
six
feet
of
another
person
for
10
minutes
or
more.
D
D
This
declaration
does
not
include
grocery
stores,
pharmacies,
convenience
stores,
hardware
stores,
gas
stations,
farmers
markets
and
food
distribution
sites
selling
prepared
food.
These
are
locations
where
the
public
is
not
generally
in
close
contact
with
other
patrons
essential
health
and
safety
services
are
also
exempt
from
this
declaration.
D
D
These
enhanced
measures
that
we
are
implementing
now
are
vital
in
reducing
the
impact
the
disease
will
have
on
our
community
in
the
long
term.
Buncombe
County,
Public
Health,
we'll
reevaluate.
These
measures
on
Friday
March
27th,
the
public
in
general,
but
also
business
owners
who
are
not
yet
affected
by
these
mandated
closures,
needs
to
understand
that
during
our
revaluation
next
week,
that
may
lead
to
even
more
extensive
closures
and
they
should
prepare
accordingly.
D
We
know
that
bad
actors
are
pretending
to
be
charities,
the
World
Health
Organization
and
the
Centre
for
Disease
Control
and
are
asking
for
sensitive
information
such
as
Social,
Security
numbers
and
credit
card
numbers.
We
know
that
they
are
specifically
targeting
healthcare
facilities,
health
care
workers
and
government
employees.
D
A
B
So
I
look
at
it
as
two
main
reasons
for
the
changes
in
community
testing
or
testing
for
kovat
19
overall.
So
the
first
main
reason
would
be
that
we
want
to
make
sure
that
we
are
using
our
resources
wisely
and
that
we
have
them
for
the
long
haul.
Essentially,
so,
when
we
do
testing
for
kovat
19,
we
are
using
personal
protective
equipment
and
we
are
exposing
others,
including
healthcare
personnel,
to
potential
kovat
19.
B
So
we
want
to
be
sure
to
protect
those
resources,
because
they
will
be
very
critical
as
we
continue
to
see
kovat
19
spread
into
our
community,
and
we
need
those
resources
to
take
care
of
critically
ill
individuals.
The
second
reason
is
that
we
know
that
most
people
who
become
ill
with
kovat
19
have
mild
illness,
and
so
just
as
dr.
Hathaway
said,
if
you
think
about,
if
you
have
a
mild
cold,
you
don't
necessarily
go
to
the
doctor
and
that's
something
that
a
person
can
usually
manage
at
home
safely.
B
And
so
we
want
to
reframe
this,
as
if
you
have
symptoms
of
fever
and
lower
respiratory
symptoms.
Like
a
cough
stay
home,
manage
your
symptoms.
There
reach
out
to
your
health
care
provider
if
you're
concerned
that
your
symptoms
are
worsening
and,
of
course,
if
you're
critically
ill.
That
would
be
a
reason
to
call
9-1-1
and
Apsaras
what
your
symptoms
are
and
what
you're
concerned
about.
B
Think
it
depends
my
I'm
leaning
toward
probably
not
but
again,
I
think
we
have
to
we're
at
the
stage
right
now,
where
we're
evaluating
how
the
testing
went
this
week.
We're
evaluating
our
supply
of
resources-
and
you
know,
are
actively
trying
to
figure
out
the
most
appropriate
response
for
our
community
is.
D
Local
law
enforcement
to
include
Ponca,
County,
Sheriff's,
Department
and
Asheville
Police
Department,
as
well
as
law
enforcement
from
all
the
municipalities,
are
aware
of
our
supplemental
declaration,
they're,
primarily
responding
by
our
complaint
driven.
If
you
would
like
to
report
something
to
them,
we
encourage
you
to
use
non-emergency
lines.
We
don't
want
people
tying
up,
911
Cs,
to
report
violations
of
this
declaration
for
the
Polka
Makani
Sheriff's
Department
for
non-emergency
information.
You
can
call
eight
two,
eight
two:
five:
zero
six:
six,
seven
zero
and
for
the
Asheville
Police
Department.
D
So
we
we
have
a
think
tank
in
our
Emergency
Operations
Center.
Considering
all
the
possibilities
we
have
to
mitigate
the
spread
of
kovat
19
possible
options
are
even
more
extensive
closures
and
mandatory
closures
for
local
businesses,
and
you
know
our
intent
is
to
provide
leadership
and
conceivable
goals
as
we
step
up
in
mitigating
efforts.
D
If
you
look
to
California-
and
we
know
that
yes,
sir
they're
there
governor
limited
all
travel
to
essential
life-saving
travel,
only
and
you
essentially
put
40
million
people
on
shelter
at
home
criteria
and
we're
looking
at
what
we
can
take
leading
up
to
that
before
we
get
to
that
point.
So
there's
there's
a
spectrum
of
options,
we're
looking
at
as
we
address
this
threat.
A
B
B
B
So
if
the
test
was
conducted
by
Buncombe
County
communicable
disease
staff
or
at
our
collection
sites,
we
will
reach
out
to
those
specific
individuals
with
their
test
results.
If
your
test
was
performed
by
your
local
healthcare
provider
or
an
urgent
care,
then
those
would
be
the
facilities
or
providers
who
would
be
providing
the
test
results
and
I
would
again
ask
that
people.
Don't
call
us
for
test
results,
we'll
be
calling
you
and
know
that
we
have
many
staff
who
are
prepared
and
we
have
a
process
in
place
by
which
people
will
get
their
results.
A
D
So
again,
the
thought
behind
this
is
all
about
meeting
that
close
contract
criteria,
so
part
of
that
declaration
was
limiting
gathering
as
to
ten
people.
The
other
part
was
to
eliminate
close
contact
and
again
that's
being
within
six
feet
of
another
person.
For
ten
minutes
or
more
so
there's
I
know,
we've
got
a
lot
of
questions
about
people
who
have
one
chair,
salons,
and
we
think
about
this.
D
If
you're
getting
your
hair
cut
at
a
barber
shop
or
you're
in
a
salon,
your
face
is
but
the
two
feet
of
another
person's
face
for
fifteen
to
thirty
minutes
to
an
hour
that
clearly
meets
our
close
contact
criteria
and
that's
what
we're
trying
to
eliminate
so
I
understand
some
confusion,
because
some
of
the
guidance
is
saying
public
gatherings
of
ten
or
less.
Some
of
that
is
that
lickable,
because
we're
talking
about
close
contact
criteria,
regardless
of
the
number
of
people
involved
and
again
to
clarify
on
spas.
D
This
declaration
includes
massage
parlors
medical,
spas,
nail
salons
beauty,
parlors
hairdressers,
one
chair,
salons,
one
chair
of
studios
and
barber
shops
among
others,
and
again,
if
that's
not
exhaustive,
if
your
service
delivery
involves
being
within
six
feet
of
another
person
for
10
minutes
or
more,
you
probably
fall
under
this
declaration
or,
if
you
don't
need
to
severely,
have
a
understand
the
risk
you're
putting
it
yourself
and
others
at.
Thank
you.
A
C
We
have
a
collaborative
strategy
as
always
to
care
for
the
sickest
patients
here
in
Asheville,
where
we
have
the
highest
intensity
of
resources
and
physicians
to
care
for
those
patients.
Without
going
into
the
specifics
of
each
of
the
facility's
plans,
I
think
it's
safe
to
say
that
we've
looked
at
all
kinds
of
contingency
efforts
on
how
to
manage
these
patients
from
converting
space
and
existing
facilities
to
adding
space.
C
That's
been
dormant
to
moving
patients
from
lower
intensity
levels
to
higher
levels
from
Transylvania
to
Mission,
or
if
we
needed
space
admission
for
the
more
critically
ill
patients
we've
even
talked
about
resourcing
patients
elsewhere.
Point
I
want
to
make
is
that
we
don't
know
what
we're
going
to
be
faced
with,
but
we're
preparing
for
all
contingencies
and
collaborating
not
only
with
hospitals
in
our
system,
but
hospitals
across
the
entire
18
County
region.
A
A
B
Right
so
again
we're
learning
about
Kovan
19
through
this
experience,
but
what
the
data
appears
to
show
is
that
you
do
develop
immunity
to
the
illness
once
you
have
it.
The
symptoms
begin
to
show.
The
range
is
from
2
to
14
days
after
exposure
to
somebody
with
Kovan
19,
with
most
people,
maybe
around
five
days
later
developing
symptoms.
And
then
what
was
the
other
question?
B
C
C
mullendore
pointed
out,
that
is
one
of
the
best
in
inflammation
fever,
reducing
and
pain,
reducing
medications
that
we
have
so
and
we
don't
have
any
evidence
that
it's
harmful
and
frankly,
I'm
not
sure
where
the
elderberry
comes
from,
but
I
have
not
seen
any
evidence
that
that's
harmful
for
people
either.
So
just
to
dispel
those
rumors,
no
scientific
evidence
of
that
right
now,.
D
A
C
We
look
at
the
transport
of
patients
to
Mission
Hospital
on
a
case-by-case
basis.
We
have
a
large
transfer
center
that
handles
between
500
and
a
thousand
transfers
monthly
from
regional
hospitals
into
our
facilities.
Maybe
even
more
than
that,
we
have
a
very
good
relationship,
collaborating
cooperating
with
the
excellent
physicians
of
our
sister
hospitals,
of
our
hospitals
in
the
region
that
aren't
part
of
our
facility.
We
have
what
we
refer
to
as
a
spoken--
hub
model
of
care.
Here
we
are
the
hub.
C
We
are
the
tertiary
and
coordinated
care
delivery
center
in
Western,
North
Carolina,
we
being
Mission
Hospital
itself
and
the
other
hospitals
in
the
system
that
serve
on
the
ends
of
the
spoke,
often
and
frequently
send
their
patients
to
us
for
care
that
they
simply
don't
have
the
capacity
to
deliver
there.
We
take
care
of
patients
who
are
exceed
the
capacity
of
the
of
the
regional
hospitals
routinely
and
if
we
get
patients
who
suffer
from
Kovan
19
who
fall
into
that
category,
we'll
welcome
them
with
open
arms.
C
We
also,
as
I
had
said
earlier
and
I,
think
it's
important
to
emphasize
not
knowing
what
is
coming
to
us
have
collaborative
and
cooperative
strategies
to
redistribute
patients.
If
we
need
to
do
that
hope.
We
don't
have
to
do
that.
But
I
say
that
to
reassure
the
community
that
we're
working
in
partnership
with
all
of
our
neighbor
hospitals
to
take
care
of
the
community.
A
Okay,
so
thank
you
to
everybody
here
today.
Over
the
weekend,
we
are
not
going
to
be
doing
camera
updates.
We
will
continue
to
send
out
a
brief
update
over
the
weekend
daily
to
media
partners
to
notify
you
of
anything
significant
or
just
give
you
a
status
update
just
for
your
peace
of
mind.
We
anticipate
resuming
these
updates
on
Monday
and
as
usual,
and
as
everybody
continues
to
emphasize.
We
encourage
people
to
go
to
the
CDC
for
the
most
accurate
information
on
covin
19.