County employee, healthcare worker test positive for COVID-19

JACKSON, Tenn. — Positive coronavirus cases are now showing up in city and county employees.

“We have had one positive confirmed healthcare worker,” Amy Garner, chief compliance and communications officer with West Tennessee Healthcare, said.

Garner didn’t share any other specifics about the employee, except to say it was a work-related exposure.

“The main thing we need to be concerned about is that the numbers for Madison County continue to go up,” Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department director Kim Tedford said.

So what happens if someone who tests positive lives with other people?

First, the patient is told to self-quarantine in a room off-limits to the family.

“The rest of the family, we tell them to stay away as much as possible. To make sure you’re cleaning any common surfaces, often,” Tedford said.

Jail staff are also talking with the health department daily, making sure they’re doing what they can to keep everyone safe.

“They’re doing everything they’re supposed to be doing, as far as cleaning surfaces, monitoring staff, checking staff when they come to work and when they leave work,” Tedford said.

A Madison County courthouse employee also tested positive. They’re now taking even more precautions.

“Security. We just acquired yesterday a thermometer. They’ll be checking the temperatures of employees and everyone that comes into the courthouse,” Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris said.

And anything related to transportation, including buying a car, is still considered an essential business.

As far as how this pandemic is impacting the city financially, Mayor Conger says it’s a fluid situation.

“Our finance department is working on that. It’s gonna be part of their budget projections when they give us a first rough draft of next year’s budget,” Mayor Conger said.

And even though this is Easter weekend, health officials still need you to stay home.

“I know this is a time for families to get together, Easter egg hunts, church. Those things should not be happening,” Tedford said.

The health department will be closed Friday in observance of Good Friday, but they will still have the daily COVID-19 update.