Health care officials and some of the Board of Commissioners in Henderson County answered a list of questions from residents Tuesday during their first weekly live-streamed briefing.

The county has limited the amount of people allowed in the meeting room. Commissioners Rebecca McCall and Bill Lapsley were in attendance, along with County Manager Steve Wyatt, Health Director Steve Smith and Emergency Management Director Jimmy Brissie.

Residents submitted questions about issues ranging from stay at home orders to medical capacity and what to do if you are sick.

The next few weeks will be "absolutely critical" in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Henderson County, according to Smith.

He urged residents to continue to stay at home and practice strict social distancing. He said he tries to speak to the community like he would his own family, and that includes advising people not to go over to friend’s house, or to have someone over to your own home.

People should only be leaving their homes for essentials, such as groceries, medicine, work and light exercise, and only when absolutely necessary.

"If you are doing anything more than that, you are putting lives at risk," Smith said. "This is absolute hunker down time."

He thanked the community for the sacrifices many are making, and said he hopes this will be a "once in a lifetime event for many."

Medical capacity

Wyatt said the county is doing well in terms of medical capacity, although the area has not yet seen the peak of the coronavirus. Officials say it is unclear when the peak time will occur, but they expect new cases over the next several weeks and even the coming months.

Brissie said health care workers in the county have enough personal protective equipment such as masks to meet the immediate need, but the future is uncertain.

Both Brissie and AdventHealth Hendersonville President and CEO Jimm Bunch said the costs for items like PPE have increased significantly. Bunch said they are in some cases paying 10 times what they did before.

Smith said there are enough tests in the county to test those who are at highest risk. While they aren’t testing anyone who asks, those who have been referred by a medical provider for a test can get one.

There are currently about seven or eight testing streams being utilized to get results, according to Smith, with results coming back in about a day. Previously, testing results came from LabCorp and there was a significant backlog.

Serological testing

Serological testing isn’t yet available, Smith said, and even if it was, the county would not use it at this time as it deals with higher priorities. The directive for such testing would likely come from the state, he added.

Stay at home order and stores

Smith and others at the meeting stressed that it’s the responsibility of residents to heed stay at home orders and additional advice for stopping the spread of the virus, after fielding questions about why the county won’t stop people from shopping for non-essential items.

The county can’t police stores and enforce stay at home orders inside retail businesses, Smith said, as there aren’t enough law enforcement to do so. It’s up to store management and residents to enforce social distancing.

"The success or failure in the community won’t be up to us, but the citizens," Wyatt added.

One question asked why golf courses are allowed to operate. Wyatt said that is allowed under the governor’s order, which the county is mirroring. He said he’s been in touch with at least three golf courses who say they are making sure to put safety measures in place.

Should residents wear masks?

Smith said leading medical organizations are now endorsing cloth or homemade masks for use by people who want that layer of protection, and added that whether to wear one is a personal decision at this time.

What should I do if I feel ill?

Brissie said residents who have symptoms should first call their primary care physicians. If residents feel the need to call 911, they should be prepared to answer questions about their symptoms in order to prepare first responders.

Anyone who does not have a primary doctor can call either of the hotlines set up by the hospitals:

– For Pardee Hospital, call 828-694-8048.

For AdventHealth Hendersonville, call 877-847-8747.

How are health care workers staying safe?

Brissie said EMS workers prioritize personal safety before leaving their homes, making sure to take care of their physical and mental health.

Medical workers are also screened daily and have personal protective equipment.

Answering 911 operators’ questions truthfully also prepares first responders and allows them to organize the best approach for each patient.

Next live meeting

Next week’s update will be shared during Wednesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting, which will be live-streamed on the county’s website at www.hendersoncountync.gov.

A replay link will be shared to the county’s Facebook (Henderson County, NC Government) and YouTube (hendersoncountync) pages.