September 22, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: COVID-19 Burke County Media Briefing
Burke County’s Response to COVID-19
• Burke County is currently at 2309 positive cases. These are cumulative cases for the county. If you want to see a breakdown of the cases please go visit the https://www.burkenc.org/dashboard webpage. The dashboard is updated late in the evening every day.
• Para español llame al 764-9150 y presione el número dos. Si nadie contesta deje un corto mensaje con su nombre y numero de teléfono.
New Testing Site Announced:
Starting September 21, East Burke Pharmacy will begin rapid COVID-19 testing on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 12pm – 2pm.
Fee: $75.00 They will not be filing insurance.
Results will be back by the end of the day. This is a drive thru service by appointment only. The tent is set up in the back of their pharmacy. DO NOT GO IN FOR THIS TESTING.
To make an appointment call 828-397-3420.
Information from Community Partners:
Western Piedmont Council of Governments, Area Agency on Aging:
If you are an older adult and/or caregiver living in Burke County and need some help with needs such as meals, groceries, pharmacy items, cleaning supplies, assistive technologies, incontinence supplies, face coverings or more please contact the Area Agency on Aging at 828-485-4257 for help.
Assistance from Food Lion:
A produce prescription program for those impacted by COVID-19. Healthy Helping is a 3-month benefit through Food Lion for those that receive SNAP/EBT benefits or are on Medicaid.
1. To enroll in the program with a care manager call 877-490-6642
2. Then load $40 into your Food Lion MVP card by making a purchase of any amount using both your MVP and SNAP/EBT cards
3. Spend that $40 purchasing eligible fruits and vegetables
4. Repeat Step 2 each month to load another $40 on your MVP card until December 31, 2020
News from NC Department of Health and Human Services:
Beginning today, the State launched the “SlowCOVIDNC” Exposure Notification App. The app will help NC residents slow the spread of the virus by alerting them when they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. It is anonymous and does not collect, store, or share personal information or location data.
The app leverages Google and Apple’s Exposure Notification System and alerts people when they have been in close contact with an individual who later tests positive COVID-19. It is voluntary to download and is designed to enhance the state’s existing contact tracing efforts.
You can download the free app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enable Bluetooth and exposure notifications (Bluetooth must be on for the app to work)
After you opt in to get the notifications, then the app will generate an anonymous token for the device. Through the Bluetooth, phones exchange these anonymous tokens every few minutes and record how long they are near each other and the signal strength of their exchanges in order to estimate distance.
If an app user tests positive for COVID-19 then the individual may get a PIN to submit in the app. Then the voluntary and anonymous reporting notifies others who have downloaded the app and may have been in close contact with someone within the last 14 days.
To learn more about the SlowCOVIDNC and to download the app, visit https://www.covid19.ncdhhs.gov/slowcovidnc which also has a frequently asked questions page.
From Burke County Health Department:
If you are calling just to make an appointment for COVID-19 testing, please call 828-764-9150. If you are getting a test for COVID-19, it is extremely important to give correct names (what name is on your birth certificate, not names you go by) and addresses so positive numbers can be directed and counted in the correct county. This helps to keep the data more accurate for each county.
Please remember that all residents who are tested for COVID-19 are to STAY AT HOME until their test results come back.
Please remember: All residents are required to wear a face covering inside and outside when you cannot physically distance yourself more than 6 feet away from others. Public Health would ask that you follow the Executive Order.
If you have any further questions or need additional information, contact the Burke County Public Information Line at 828-764-9168, Monday – Friday from 8am – 5pm. After hours, weekends and holidays, please leave a message and your call will be answered as soon as staff returns. Or you can also visit the Burke County COVID-19 webpage at www.burkenc.org/COVID-19.
###