Coronavirus (COVID-19) Preparedness Information

Our hospital is committed to providing the highest quality care and ensuring the safety of our patients, employees, providers, volunteers and visitors. We are continuing to monitor the evolving situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19) and are taking the necessary steps to ensure we are fully prepared to care for patients, in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and in partnership with our local and state health departments.

Below are a number of resources to help educate you and your family on COVID-19. For more information on the virus, please contact the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

COVID-19 Resources:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services 
• Lee County Emergency Management
• North Carolina Healthcare Association
• North Carolina Emergency Management Association 

Additional Resources:

• Follow the Central Carolina Hospital Facebook page for the latest updates, statements, and hand hygiene tips.

What is Central Carolina Hospital doing during COVID-19?

While COVID-19 is new, effectively responding to other infectious diseases is not. We have tested processes and plans in place to respond to situations involving infectious disease year-round. Here is what we are doing to stay ready and effectively respond to COVID-19: 

• We continue to work closely with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure that we are prepared with appropriate plans to detect, protect and respond should anyone in our community contract or be exposed to COVID-19. 

• We have a robust emergency operations plan in place and are reviewing and proactively completing a number of preparation checklists out of an abundance of caution.  

• We have hand hygiene products easily accessible throughout our facility. 

• We are screening patients in our emergency department, inpatient units and outpatient clinics based on CDC guidance.  

• Staff treating a potential COVID-19 case are provided with all appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to help prevent exposure. 

• Patients with respiratory or COVID-19-related symptoms are immediately provided masks to wear to help prevent exposure to others. 

• In the event that we identify a potential COVID-19 case, we will follow all CDC guidelines for placing that individual in isolation for their care and for the protection of other patients, employees and visitors. 

These measures are in place to protect our facility and our community. Please know that our providers and clinical teams are well-trained and prepared to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, seasonal flu and other respiratory illnesses. 

What can you do to slow the spread of COVID-19?

It’s easy to feel helpless when faced with a barrage of news reports and social media updates regarding COVID-19. The good news is that there are some key steps you can take to help protect you and your loved ones and help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19: 

• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick 

• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth 

• Staying home when you are sick 

• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash 

• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces, including your phone, computer, remote controls and doorknobs 

• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing 

• Using an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not readily available (Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty) 

• Practicing social distancing behaviors, including working from home, avoiding public gatherings and unnecessary travel, and maintaining a distance of approximately six feet from others when possible. 

COVID-19 Testing FAQs 

How do I get tested for COVID-19? 

At this time, tests for COVID-19 require a provider order. Visiting a provider does not necessarily mean you need testing or that you will receive testing. Your provider will work with the local health department to follow all appropriate guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to determine if testing is recommended based on your symptoms and recent travel history. 

What are the qualifications for being tested for COVID-19? 

Someone may be a candidate for testing if he or she has: 

1. A fever and cough or shortness of breath AND has been in close contact with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 case; or 

2. A fever and cough or shortness of breath and a history of travel from affected geographic areas; or 

3. A fever and cough or shortness of breath requiring hospitalization with no other source of infection. 

Can I pick up or buy a test kit for COVID-19? 

No. At this time, tests for COVID-19 require a provider order and are not commercially available to the public. 

What do I do if I’ve been exposed to someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19? I want to be tested. 

If you have been exposed to someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19, you should self-monitor for fever or symptoms of respiratory illness for 14 days. If you begin to experience fever or symptoms of respiratory illness, and they are mild enough that you can manage them at home, you should remain at home in isolation. For details about how to correctly perform home isolation, tips for managing your illness at home with family members, and guidance on when you can discontinue home isolation, please visit the CDC’s website.

If you are not experiencing symptoms, or you are experiencing mild symptoms you can manage at home in isolation, you do not need to seek medical care or testing.  

I believe I have symptoms of COVID-19. What do I do next? 

I’m experiencing mild symptoms right now, but I’m worried. 

If you are experiencing fever and/or mild symptoms of respiratory illness, you can and should isolate at home during illness. For details about how to correctly perform home isolation, tips for managing your illness at home with family members, and guidance on when you can discontinue home isolation, please visit the CDC’s website.

Should I get tested?

Isolating yourself at home and self-monitoring mild symptoms is the best course of action unless you feel you need medical care. 

Worsening symptoms – I need to see my provider. 

Be alert to any changing symptoms and seek prompt medical attention if your symptoms are getting worse. If you feel you need to visit your healthcare provider, call ahead before you arrive to tell them you’re experiencing symptoms that may be related to COVID-19. This will allow your provider’s office staff to properly prepare for your visit and take the necessary precautions to keep others from being infected or exposed. 

Will I be tested?

Your provider will make this determination based on your symptoms, and recent travel history. You may or may not be tested, but your provider will follow all appropriate CDC and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services guidelines. 

Emergent symptoms – I am having difficulty breathing. 

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1 and notify the dispatch agent that your emergency is related to possible COVID-19 symptoms.  

Will I be tested? Your emergency medicine provider will make this determination based on your symptoms and recent travel history. You may or may not be tested, but your provider will follow all appropriate CDC and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services guidelines.