To find vaccine locations in the area, visitu00a0Vaccine Finder.
City Facilities and Programming
While the Transit Lobby remains closed, all other city facilities have reopened to the public and in-person meetings have resumed. City residents and businesses are encouraged to engage with City staff and conduct City business through online transactions, email and by telephone.
A complete guide to the Parks and Recreation Reopening Plan, which includes a list of available programs and associated rules and expectations, can be found on theu00a0Parks and Recreation website.u00a0 All three community centers reopened April 12u00a0 with limited programming, reduced capacity, and mandatory pre-registration for activities. Some amenities may not be available during phase 1. A specific reopening plan has been developed foru00a0Parks and Recreation Community Centersu00a0that includes attendee guidelines and a full schedule of activities. Athletic programming, including weekend athletic events, has also resumed. More information can be foundu00a0here.u00a0
The goal of the phased reopening, based on public health guidance, is to safely allow activities to resume while mitigating the risk of new COVID-19 cases. The City will continue to follow guidelines and recommendations provided by Gov. Bill Lee and his economic recovery group as well as the Centers for Disease Control and public health officials.u00a0
Freedom Hall Pool is open only for lap swimming. Lap swim is limited to one person per lane with swimmers able to reserve a maximum of three sessions per week, each for 45 minutes. Lane entry/will be staggered. Restroom access will be limited to one person at a time and no locker room access will be available. Swimmers should come in their bathing suit ready to swim and be prepared to dry off and leave the facility immediately following their scheduled swim session. Screening measures, including temperature checks, will be in place. For more information or to reserve a swim session, please call 423-461-4872.
As a reminder, all parks as well as tennis, pickleball and volleyball courts are open, as is Pine Oaks Golf Course. Guidelines for all facilities will be posted, and adherence is mandatory.
Outdoor pools and splash pads are open.
Theu00a0Lakeside Concert Series, held at Winged Deer Park on Thursday evenings, will begin in June. The Bert Street Music Series, held at the Memorial Park Community Centeru2019s outdoor amphitheater on Thursday evenings, will begin Aug. 12.
Parks and Recreation is currently accepting pavilion rental reservations. These reservations may be madeu00a0ONLINEu00a0or by callingu00a0423-283-5815.
Registration for the Pavilion at Founders Park is currently open. For more information about Founders Park and King Commons reservations or applications for special events and road closures, please contact Andy Heuiser atu00a0[email protected]u00a0oru00a0423-434-6019.
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If you have tested negative (or u201cnot detectedu201d) for COVID-19, learn how to monitor your health and protect others
Have you been around anyone who has COVID-19?
If you live with, care for, or have recently spent time around someone diagnosed with COVID-19:
Quarantine yourself
You should stay home after your last contact with the person with COVID-19:
Quarantine can end after day 10 without testing if you do not have symptoms.
Quarantine can end after day seven if you do not have symptoms and if you test negative by PCR or antigen test after day five.
You should continue to monitor yourself for COVID symptoms through day 14.
Mask wearing is especially important through day 14, and should also continue beyond your quarantine period.
Stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home to the extent possible. Use a separate bathroom, if available.
*If you are considered an essential worker, you may be allowed to work during your quarantine period while wearing a mask at all times.
Monitor your health
If you are not sick, watch for new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, fever, chills, congestion/runny nose, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, headache, myalgia or fatigue.
If you develop any of these symptoms within 14 days of last contact with a person with COVID-19, you may have COVID-19.
If your symptoms are mild, stay home and monitor your health. If you need medical assessment, call the health clinic or hospital before you arrive and tell the provider that you are a contact to a person who was diagnosed with COVID-19.
Are you sick?
If you have a new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, fever, chills, congestion/runny nose, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, headache, myalgia or fatigue:
Isolate yourself
You should strictly isolate yourself at home.
Stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home to the extent possible. Use a separate bathroom, if available. Household members can consider staying in a separate location, if available, to decrease their risk of exposure.
Monitor your health
Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated.
If needed, take over-the-counter medication to reduce your fever or relieve your symptoms.
If your symptoms get worse and you need to seek healthcare, call ahead and tell the provider your symptoms.
If you are not sick and have not come into contact with anyone with COVID-19…
Protect yourself and others
Follow all the appropriate social distancing recommendations.
Wear a cloth face covering if in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available.
Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces regularly, including your phone.
Cover your cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue.
If you develop symptoms or have additional concerns about your health, contact your healthcare provider.
If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, follow the steps below to monitor your health and avoid spreading the disease to others
Communicate with public health
After your diagnosis, you may receive a call from public health. It may take a few days for public health officials to contact you, and they will ask about your activities before and after you became ill.
Isolate yourself
You should strictly isolate yourself at home for at least 10 days after you became ill, and you should be feeling well (and without fever) for at least 24 hours before resuming normal activities.
Other members of your household should also stay home, and no visitors should be allowed.
Stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home to the extent possible. Use a separate bathroom, if available. Household contacts can consider relocating to a separate, uninhabited housing location if available to decrease their risk of exposure.
Where possible, ask others such as friends or family, to get food or necessities for you.
If you must leave home, such as to seek medical care, wear a face covering if you have one.
Inform your close contacts
Your close contacts will also need to quarantine according to CDC guidelines.
Close contacts include anyone that you were within six feet or for >15 minutes while feeling ill. Close contact is defined as being within six feet for at least 15 minutes. However, this depends on the exposure level and setting. The final decision on what constitutes close contact is made at the discretion of public health.
Monitor your health
High risk patients may be eligible for monoclonal antibody infusion under an FDA Emergency Use Authorization which may limit the severity of your disease. Eligible individuals include those over age 65, or younger individuals with certain chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, immunosuppression, and high blood pressure or heart disease. Please discuss your eligibility for this treatment with your doctor or through a Ballad Health Urgent Care or a virtual appointment.
Remember to get plenty of rest, stay hydrated and, if needed, take medication to reduce your fever.
Arrange for care
If your symptoms get worse and you need to seek healthcare, call ahead and tell the provider that you have been diagnosed with COVID-19. This will help the healthcare provideru2019s office take steps to keep other people from getting infected or exposed. Be sure to discuss your eligibility for monoclonal antibody infusion to limit the severity of your illness if this option is available to you.
Practice healthy habits
Wear a cloth face covering in public settings where social distancing is difficult.
Cover your cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for u226520 seconds, or use alcohol-based hand rub.
Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces regularly, including your phone.
Returning to regular activities
Once youu2019ve completed your isolation period at home (minimum of 10 days, with at least 24 hours of feeling well), you can return to your regular activities.
You do not need to be retested in order to resume your regular activities. This recommendation is consistent with CDCu2019s Symptom Based Strategy.
For questions, please contact your local health department.
COVID-19 vaccination and other updates from the Sullivan County Regional Health Department
For up-to-the-minute information regarding COVID-19 vaccine distribution and other important updates from the Sullivan County Regional Health Department, please follow the department onu00a0Facebooku00a0andu00a0Twitteru00a0or visit theiru00a0website.
