Winston County creates ‘Pandemic Team’ in light of first confirmed COVID-19 case

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)-There’s another positive case of the coronavirus in our viewing area, this time it’s in Winston County.

At this time the person’s name isn’t being released, however, we do know that they’re in non-critical condition and at home recovering.

Everyone that has come in contact with that person is also being quarantined.

In the wake of this confirmed case city leaders, county leaders, and the Winston Medical Center have all come together to form a Pandemic Team.

They’ve activated a plan where leaders from each entity will have a teleconference call everyday to help them track and stay updated on what’s going on concerning COVID-19, as well as looking at what can be done to help prevent it from spreading throughout the area.

EMA Director Buddy King said a critical element in the plan includes residents isolating themselves and practicing social distancing if possible.

King said this is their way of staying proactive and trying to prevent the spread of this deadly virus.

“That’s the thing we’d like to relay right now, this is the very early going of this outbreak,” said King. “The thing that we can do is treat everyone as if they’re a potential exposure, that’s the whole point of the isolation is for us to treat everyone as a potential exposure. That’s why we want people to stay at home to limit their outings, because at this point everyone you come in contact with is a potential exposure.”

“The isolation that people need and quarantine that people need is very important, that’s one of the main things,” said Dr. Michael Ard, medical doctor at Winston Medical Clinic. “we give everybody that comes through a quarantine prescription if they contagious symptoms, it is very important.

Also happening in Winston County, the hospital is having a medical drive for patients registered at its four clinics in the area.