Courthouse and Offices in County Complex to be Closed to In-Person Business Starting Friday

March 19, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Government continues to monitor developments and updates from federal and state public health officials related to the coronavirus. Beginning Friday March 20th, the DeKalb County Courthouse and the main entrance of the County Complex County Offices will be locked in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Employees are still reporting to work but residents who need to do business with them are urged to call first. Signage is posted on doors with phone number of each office for people to call. They will inform you how your business will be handled. The County Clerk’s drive thru window is open.

The DeKalb County Election Office is open to receive and issue candidate petitions.

However, candidates and potential candidates should call the office in advance to make arrangements for someone to give them access to the building.

The election office phone number is 615-597-4146. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The qualifying deadline for the August election is NOON April 2.

County Complex County Offices:
County Clerk 615 597 5177
Register of Deeds 615 597 4153
Trustee 615 597 5176
Assessor of Property 615 597 5925

Courthouse Offices:
County Mayor 615 597 5175
Circuit Court Clerk 615 597 5711
Clerk and Master 615 597 4360
Election Commission 615 597 4146
Recovery Court 615 215 8690

There is a high level of awareness and an equally high level of cooperation community-wide as everyone – businesses, individuals, and families – work together to keep themselves and those around them safe,” says County Mayor Tim Stribling. “As the situation changes, we will continue to adapt”

March 19, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Do you have the symptoms of COVID-19 (coronavirus)?

Fever, cough, shortness of breath?

If so you need to see your health care provider for an evaluation

https://www.wjle.com/corona-virus-interview/

“You must exhibit one of the symptoms, fever, shortness of breath, or cough and then you must have a negative swab for influenza A & B which can be done in your physician’s office. You also have to be screened for strep either with a white blood cell count or a strep screen or swab. If you don’t have strep or influenza but you have one of those three symptoms then you can be virus tested,” said Dr. Hugh Don Cripps in a WJLE Radio interview on Wednesday.

“If you are suspected of having the coronavirus but the test is not back you should be quarantined in your home until you get the report back which usually takes two days. If the test comes back and its not that (coronavirus) it may be some other infectious disease like influenza or strep. We have seen patients who thought they had it (COVID-19) but didn’t. Still if you have fever, cough, or other symptoms you should be home. You should not be spreading the disease especially if you test positive, “ he said.

The older one is the more susceptible and vulnerable he or she is to the disease.

“If you are young, healthy and have minimal symptoms you may not get any medication except some cough syrup and Tylenol but if you are older and have shortness of breath, pneumonia, ARDS, low oxygen saturation, then you are going to be admitted to the hospital. So the first thing you do if you think you have it (coronavirus) is see a doctor either at the emergency room, your family doctor, or whoever you see,” Dr. Cripps continued.

Precautions are being taken at the local hospital and clinics to protect all including health care providers.

“In our office (Family Medical Center) we are letting one provider each day, wearing personal protective gear including gowns, N95 masks, goggles, etc., see those who have a fever and think they may have an issue. Everybody else is seeing their regular doctor. We’re letting those who think they may have the problem (COVID-19) come in one door and we have even put up tape to keep people and social distancing at least six feet apart. We’re trying to do it in a responsible way and still be of service because the emergency room couldn’t see everybody if we had to get going big . We’re even strapped sometimes during flu epidemics to see everybody. And at the local hospital everybody has to come in one door through the emergency room and all including every nurse and doctor has to have their temperature checked and answer a questionnaire before they can even come in,” said Dr. Cripps.

So far no confirmed cases of coronavirus has shown up in DeKalb County.

“We have done several tests from our office since Lab Corps and others started offering tests. Lab Corps is where we have been sending our tests and we have been getting them back within four days. So far every test we have done has been negative. I think we have tested maybe seven or eight. The biggest risk factors number one is age, especially age over 70. The second biggest risk factor is cardiovascular disease. Heart disease. Heart failure, heart coronary artery blockage, having a history of heart attacks, etc. The third largest risk factor is pulmonary which would be asthma, COPD, pulmonary emphysema. Those are the big risk factors. And if I were age 80 or older the most important thing I would do is stay away from everybody if it is not necessary to be around them. Get somebody to do your food shopping. Have them leave the food at the door or don’t let them get within six feet of you. If you do things like that you should make it through fine. But you are better off if you are at home than if you are in a nursing home or retirement home because you are not around as many people,” said Dr. Cripps.

March 19, 2020
By: Bill Conger

The COVID-19 virus carries with it troubling physical concerns, but the crisis surrounding the disease also can create mental health issues.

Samanthia Curtis, LPC-MHSP, Clinical Director at Haven of Hope of DeKalb County, says the social distancing that health authorities recommend during this time can present a problem for extroverts and introverts alike.

“I’ve been joking that since I have introvert tendencies I will be fine to isolate,” says Curtis. “This isn’t completely true, though, because I have my immediate family living with me,” adds the mother of three and wife of Brad Curtis. “This of course means that I have human interaction built in right at home as many others do.”

“I suspect this will be an especially difficult time for people who live alone as well as those who enjoy a very active lifestyle. It will be important that these people to stay in contact with family members or friends by phone, video chat or social media. Also, pets are sometimes very therapeutic in helping people to not feel isolated.”

“I would encourage people to call and check in on each other during times of social distancing. Talking with a friend can greatly reduce stress.”

Curtis says stress during an infectious disease outbreak can present as fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones, changes in sleep or eating patterns, difficulty sleeping or concentrating, worsening of chronic health problems, and increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, people who may respond more strongly to the stress of the COVID-19 crisis include: older people and people with chronic diseases who are at higher risk for COVID-19, children and teens, people who are helping with the response to COVID-19, like doctors and other health care providers, or first responders, people who have existing mental health conditions and people who have problems with substance use.

The Haven of Hope counselor says for some people anxiety can kick in. She explains that signs of excessive worrying include the following: edginess or restlessness, tiring easily; more fatigued than usual, impaired concentration or feeling as though the mind goes blank, Irritability (which may or may not be observable to others), increased muscle aches or soreness, and difficulty sleeping (due to trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, restlessness at night, or unsatisfying sleep).

Social distancing could potentially lead to temporary depression, Curtis says mild symptoms of depression and anxiety can be improved by following these CDC guidelines:

Take care of your body– Try to eat healthy well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

Connect with others– Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships, and build a strong support system.

Take breaks– Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade. Try taking in deep breaths. Try to do activities you usually enjoy.

Stay informed– When you feel that you are missing information, you may become more stressed or nervous. Watch, listen to, or read the news for updates from officials. Be aware that there may be rumors during a crisis, especially on social media. Always check your sources and turn to reliable sources of information like your local government authorities.

Avoid too much exposure to news– Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do enjoyable activities and return to normal life as much as possible and check for updates between breaks.

Seek help when needed– If distress impacts activities of your daily life for several days or weeks, talk to a clergy member, counselor, or doctor, or contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-985-5990.

“I would encourage those with existing mental health conditions to continue appointments with their Mental Health Provider,” says Curtis. “I would also encourage those suffering from stress, anxiety, or depression that begins to impede everyday activities to reach out to a counselor.”

“Haven of Hope Counseling of DeKalb County would be happy to talk with you if you are experiencing new symptoms of anxiety or depression. Our six counselors are all caring qualified individuals who are here to support people who seek treatment for stress, anxiety, depression or any other mental health disorder during this time of crisis and beyond.”

The Haven of Hope is located at 301 West Main Street in Smithville. The phone number is (615) 597-4673. Starting Monday, March 23, counselors will be helping using the online counseling service, teletherapy, to serve clients.

“If you are struggling with mental health issues we are here to help.”

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