SCHD Stops Low-Risk Exposure Reporting
August 20, 2020 - CORRECTION:
In the published version of this article, we incorrectly attributed the revival to the wrong church. New Life Fellowship hosted the Soul Harvest Revival, NOT New Hope Church. We sincerely apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
In the published version of this article, we incorrectly attributed the revival to the wrong church. New Life Fellowship hosted the Soul Harvest Revival, NOT New Hope Church. We sincerely apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
August 19, 2020
Isaac Estes-Jones
Due to the number of new cases being reported on a daily basis, the Stone County Health Department (SCHD) announced on Monday, August 17, they would cease reporting on “low-risk” travel by new cases while they were infectious. Contact tracing and other associated work will continue as normal. The health department will also report any exposures deemed high enough risk.
“Due to the volume and nature of these cases [SCHD] will be suspending the public notification of low-risk potential exposure locations,” the department said in an update posted on Facebook. Simply put, the number of cases the health department is tracking makes release of every potential public exposure impractical.
“Unfortunately Stone County has reached a point in this pandemic where any public location should be treated as if it could be a source of exposure,” the department said.
This stop does not apply to high risk exposures. A high risk exposure is one where “the community over several days or several hours causing a threat to the community,” such as the Soul Harvest Revival at New Life Fellowship in Crane.
“At this time the majority of our new cases are coming from family gatherings, church services and other indoor gatherings of people. When you gather a large number of people in an indoor space the risk of transmission of Covid-19 becomes very high. To limit the risk, it is best to avoid large gatherings of people or have the gathering in an outdoor space,” says Pam Burnett, Administrator of the Stone County Health Department.
At the time of the press release, there were 19 positive cases associated with the Soul Harvest Revival in Crane earlier this month. That number is expected to continue to rise over the next week as the department follows up with attendees who have since developed symptoms and are awaiting test results.
As of Monday, August 17, Stone County had 204 positive cases, including one death and 132 recoveries.
Due to the number of new cases being reported on a daily basis, the Stone County Health Department (SCHD) announced on Monday, August 17, they would cease reporting on “low-risk” travel by new cases while they were infectious. Contact tracing and other associated work will continue as normal. The health department will also report any exposures deemed high enough risk.
“Due to the volume and nature of these cases [SCHD] will be suspending the public notification of low-risk potential exposure locations,” the department said in an update posted on Facebook. Simply put, the number of cases the health department is tracking makes release of every potential public exposure impractical.
“Unfortunately Stone County has reached a point in this pandemic where any public location should be treated as if it could be a source of exposure,” the department said.
This stop does not apply to high risk exposures. A high risk exposure is one where “the community over several days or several hours causing a threat to the community,” such as the Soul Harvest Revival at New Life Fellowship in Crane.
“At this time the majority of our new cases are coming from family gatherings, church services and other indoor gatherings of people. When you gather a large number of people in an indoor space the risk of transmission of Covid-19 becomes very high. To limit the risk, it is best to avoid large gatherings of people or have the gathering in an outdoor space,” says Pam Burnett, Administrator of the Stone County Health Department.
At the time of the press release, there were 19 positive cases associated with the Soul Harvest Revival in Crane earlier this month. That number is expected to continue to rise over the next week as the department follows up with attendees who have since developed symptoms and are awaiting test results.
As of Monday, August 17, Stone County had 204 positive cases, including one death and 132 recoveries.