As County-Town meet on COVID-19 emergency response, testing here begins

A County Emergency Services vehicle on-site at WCGC/Public Schools Administrative building prior to Thursday’s closed meeting on Emergency Response logistics. Don’t panic, it was simply being used as a staff mode of transportation to the meeting. Royal Examiner Photos/Roger Bianchini

Officials from Warren County and Front Royal’s elected boards and administrative staffs met with County Emergency Services and public-school personnel behind closed doors Thursday afternoon, March 19. County Deputy Emergency Manager Rick Farrall told media present prior to the convening of the meeting that the purpose was to review logistics of the County’s Local Emergency Declaration of March 17.

Among those present for the meeting on the Public Schools Administration side of the Warren County Government Center were Mayor Gene Tewalt, County Board Chairman Walter Mabe, County Administrator Doug Stanley, Interim Town Manager Matt Tederick, County Emergency Services Chief Richard Mabie, County Emergency Manager Farrall, Deputy County Administrator Bob Childress, and a few others.

County, Town and Public Schools officials, and staff gather prior to the convening of Thursday’s closed meeting.

As we reported of the County’s Local Emergency Declaration two days earlier, following a previous meeting of the above-cited County personnel it was decided in the wake of national and state declarations and guidelines on the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic response to put the Warren County governmental and emergency response apparatus “on the forefront of this epidemic in order to provide the best possible preparations and care for the citizens, as well as ensure the potential for cost savings once this epidemic has passed.”

Thursday’s closed meeting brought Town officials into the loop, as well as public school personnel as school facilities and other administrative variables could eventually come into play.

Prior to the closed meeting, Farrall who is at the center of the Emergency Management effort told media that Valley Health had opened a COVID-19 testing tent on the grounds of its Public Health Facility on Commerce Avenue in Front Royal one block south of the Warren County Government Center.

The yellow COVID-19 testing tent at far-left end of Valley Health’s public health facility parking lot on Commerce Avenue in Front Royal.

Due to the general scarcity of COVID-19 test kits nationally, those seeking to be tested locally must have an order from a primary care or other physicians. Citizens may not just walk up and be tested. If you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, headache, respiratory distress, flu or cold symptoms; or have come in contact with someone verified to have tested positive for COVID-19, contact a physician or Warren Memorial Hospital to institute the qualifying process for being tested.

A closer look at the COVID-19 testing tent. Thursday it was manned, below from left, by Multi-Specialty Clinics Coordinator Tracy Norris, Physician Practice Manager Theresa Johnston and Phlebotomist Ashleigh Rohrbaugh.

As noted in a previous County release on the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak, “This is a rapidly changing situation, and the most current information is available on the following websites: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus or www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/. Please consult www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus for the latest number of COVID-19 cases in Virginia.”

Above, what they are looking for – the microscopic COVID-19 Coronavirus; and below, where it has been found concentrated thus far in Virginia.

Declaration of local emergency by the local Director of Emergency Management due to Coronavirus, consent of the Board of Supervisors