FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – Fayette County cases were sitting at 54 for a couple of weeks. However, just this past week, they have seen an increase of 5, and health officials say all are related to travel.
“So people going to the beach, people going out of state for weddings and the like, and at some point during that travel, they’re contacting someone that has coronavirus,” Fayette County Health Officer Dr. Anita Stewart said.
If you have been to the beach or other hotspot vacation areas already, Dr. Stewart says it is best to quarantine if you can, and then get tested in between days 5 and 11, as that is typically when they are seeing the virus develop.
“It’s really important that if you’ve traveled that you are really serious about quarantining when you come home and wearing a mask if you do have to go to work or to get medicine or to get groceries,” she said.
If someone tests negative after vacation, Dr. Stewart still encourages everyone to still wait it out 14 days before returning to normal life.
On Monday, the Fayette County Health Department, in partnership with Montgomery General Hospital, tested 65 people in the CVS parking lot in Gauley Bridge, many of whom had just returned back from a trip.
If your summer vacation is coming up, Dr. Stewart encourages research on the place you’re traveling to and its numbers as well as the places you plan on stopping.
She says it is important to remember, especially if you are in a hot spot like Myrtle Beach, to continue following the same guidelines.
“COVID’s still there, so you’re going to want to social distance, wear a mask, use good hand washing, all of those things, and really stay within your family unit. Try not to have big groups of families coming from all different parts of the country,” she said.
Dr. Stewart says some rental and hotel companies are offering refunds or rain checks if they’re in hotspots, so if you are considering canceling or rescheduling, it is always best to check ahead.
If you wish to be tested, New River Health will be offering testing on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the old Kmart parking lot in Oak Hill. No doctor’s order required.
