C19 to air show on coronavirus

C19 Television, a cable broadcast network associated with Cleveland Community College, is starting a new series this week to help keep the people informed about the virus and how it is impacting the community.

“I think this will end up being a twice a week show for now because so much keeps happening and things keep changing,” said Greg Tillman, broadcasting instructor and director of cable programming at CCC.

The show filmed its first episode on Wednesday with guests from the Cleveland County Public Health Center, Uptown Shelby Association and with Sheriff Alan Norman.

“Honestly two weeks ago I couldn’t imagine we’d be sitting here talking about Coronavirus, social distancing, flattening the curve - but all of those things have become part of our daily vocabulary as we go through these very changing times,” said Dave Allen, who hosts the show.

Topics on the first show include some basic information about the virus and its impacts on daily life even if no cases have yet been confirmed in Cleveland County.

“The key thing is we just want folks to know that even though this is a time of worry and anxiety and there’s a lot of fear in the public, we want people to know that we, from a public health stand point are doing everything we can to be prepared,” said Holly Thornburg, communicable diseases supervisor at the Cleveland County Public Health Center. “We’ve been watching daily webinars, we are constantly checking emails, doing teleconferences - we are trying to be as prepared as we can for this situation.”

Thorburg also discussed the way Cleveland County is handling testing for COVID-19 and what prerequisites have to be met in order to be tested and reiterated some key tips that have been circulating to help people minimize their exposure to the virus such as practicing good hand hygenice and social distancing.

“Do the same things you’d do for a common cold,” she said.

Speaking about the impact the virus has had on local businesses, Audrey Whetton, executive director of the Uptown Shelby Association, gave a general update on the small business response to the virus but also some tips on how to help support local businesses impacted by closures.

One of the easiest ways people could support a business struggling with limited hours or closures now, she said, is to buy gift cards.

“Invest in that business now so they can stay open,” she said.

Speaking about law enforcement, Norman said things would continue to operate with business as normal both for his department and emergency services as usual. Norman went over a previously announced jail closure and a temporary stop to fingerprinting services, as well as a hold on certain court cases.

Norman did say his staff has made some changes to approaching certain calls, allowing deputies to respond by phone when the situation allows for it, and making shift changes happen in segmented groups in order to keep practicing social distancing as recommended by the Center for Disease Control.

You can watch the entire panel on C19tv Thursday through Saturday at 6 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. There will be an additional showing on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Tillman said the next episode of the show will film on Monday with CCC president Jason Hurst and a psychology professor to talk about the future of the college and mental health in times of a national health emergency.