Wythe County issues statement on coronavirus

To the Citizens of Wythe County

As of last week, both the Federal government and the Commonwealth of Virginia have declared a state of
emergency for the C OVID 19 virus. These declarations were put in place to move funds and resources to
mitigate further outbreak, to provide more available testing for the virus, and to support current
responses. The Governor of Virginia, as of Sunday, has placed a ban on gatherings of 100 or more
people. At this time, Wythe County has not declared a state of emergency or placed any further
restrictions on gatherings or individuals. We are working closely with all of our partners to further lessen
the impact of this pandemic to ou r community.
Wythe County is asking our citizens to assist in this effort. When it comes to social interaction, we ask that
everyone limit exposure to others, especially in large public settings. For example, when paying utility
bills, use the overnight deposits, telephone, or online options, as opposed to face to face interaction. If
you plan to meet with someone, check to see if you might have a phone conversation or share
information over email or video chat in place of meeting them in person. If you a re dining out, look into
pick up services or ordering to go. We still promote supporting our community businesses, but do so
responsibly. Wythe County is not asking citizens to halt everyday activities, but help lessen the spread of
possible illness by limiting unnecessary exposures. We strongly encourage you to stay home if you feel
ill. If you feel ill, call your doctor and discuss a plan. If it becomes an emergency and you need an
ambulance, please let the dispatchers know if you are experiencing flu like symptoms, a dry cough,
shortness of breath, or fever.
Please remember that good hygiene (hand washing, covering your mouth when sneezing/coughing) is
still the key in reduction of the spread of COVID 19. Cleaning highly touchable surfaces and high usage
areas with appropriate cleaner can also aid in reducing exposure. Look to reliable sources for information
such as the Centers for Disease Control (the Virginia Dept. of Health (and the Virginia Dept.
of Emergency Management (These resources give up to date, reliable, and useful information to
protect you and your love ones.
Wythe County will continue to strive to provide information as available to its citizens to keep them
informed and safe. We encourage citizens to make common sense decisions to lessen the impact of this
virus on our community. Please reach out with questions or concerns to
emergency.coordinator@wytheco.org or call 276 223 4521.