FLORENCE-On Friday, March 20 May Steve Holt of Florence issued this release concerning the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Florence:
“I have been informed by the Alabama of Public Health Department that there is now a positive case of COVID-19 in Lauderdale County. Due to strict confidentiality laws, I have no information about this positive case. Still, please know that the Health Department is doing everything possible to develop a timeline of events and notify anyone who may have been affected.
Being proactive to address this National Crisis can keep everyone safe, especially our large senior population. Please keep them in mind during these difficult times. Please also remember that if you believe you are sick, be sure to call your primary care physician first instead of going to the emergency room. There could be a surge of cases impacting the medical centers in the coming weeks, and the emergency room must be available for those needing critical care. The best thing residents can continue to do is to practice social distancing, washing your hands, work from home, and, most importantly, staying home if you are sick.
I thank each of you for your dedication and diligence in following the ADPH guidance. Our City Departments are taking every precaution and planning measure to keep employees safe and maintain services. I truly appreciate all of the patience and kindness being displayed during this unprecedented time. We will get through this together – thank you to everyone for working together to keep our city safe.”
Additional COVID-19 Testing Information
If you think you are experiencing symptoms of or have been exposed to COVID-19 …
***Please DO NOT show up unannounced at an emergency room or health care facility. ***
Instead, you should FIRST call you primary care doctor, urgent care clinic, or your local federally qualified healthcare center.
If you are not sure what to do or need more information, please call the Call the Alabama COVID-19 24/7 hotline at
1-888-264-2256 for testing sites and hours of operation.
For more information on testing for COVID-19, visit https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/infect…/cov-testing.html
Please also share this number with members of the community who might not have access to online information.
For more information about possible symptoms and other health-related information about COVID-19, visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
Media Release/Rachel Mansell Koonce/City of Florence Media & Sustainability
