Old North News

City of Albemarle issued the following announcement.

The City of Albemarle continues to monitor the rapidly evolving events related to Coronavirus COVID-19. 

 Following recommendations from the North Carolina Governor’s Office, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), and North Carolina Department of Public Health (NCDPH), and the recent action from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) and Stanly County Schools (SCS), the City of Albemarle Parks & Recreation Department will suspend all programs and events of 100 or more people, athletic league activities, and facility rentals at Niven Center and Waddell Center effective Friday, March 13, 2020 through Monday, April 6, 2020. 

This may change as the response to Coronavirus evolves. 

Programs effected by these suspensions:

• Mini Medley Relay – March 21
• Dixie Youth League Baseball – suspended through April 6
• Adult Softball League – suspended through April 6
• Pickleball League – suspended through April 6
• Kite Building Workshop and Golden Shoe – March 28
• Bryan Saint Magic Show at Albemarle Neighborhood Theatre – April 4 

Facilities effected by suspensions:

• Waddell Center – 621 Wall St.
• Niven Center – 1816 E. Main St.

At this time, all other City of Albemarle Parks & Recreation programs will continue as scheduled. 

The City of Albemarle (COA) will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and make adjustments in the best interest of our team members and the public during this time.  COA administration and staff are getting frequent updates from Stanly County Health Department, North Carolina Governor’s Office, NCDHHS, NCDPH, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to aid us in making the best decisions for our community.

During this time one recommendation from all levels of Public Health administration has been implementing social distancing strategies. This is especially recommended for events and gatherings of 100 or more people. This can help flatten the curve on the spread of a virus and we have seen this adopted by many other National entities as well as state wide programs such as the NCHSAA.

NCDHHS recommends that people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 should avoid larger groups of people as much as possible.

People at high risk include those:

• Over the age of 65 or,
• With underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease or diabetes or,
• With weakened immune systems

We urge anyone who is sick, or feels unwell, to stay home and not attend programs or activities being held. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. Seek medical advice if you develop symptoms and have been in close contact with a person know to have COVID-19 or if you live in, or have recently been in an area with ongoing community spread.

At this time, all other City of Albemarle departments will continue to operate as normal, and City Hall will remain open during regular business hours. We understand the inconvenience this may cause to students and parents that participate in our group and athletic activities. We ask that you please help us follow these guidelines to lessen the impact in our community. We appreciate your patience and your understanding as we continue to provide Albemarle residents with the most recent and relevant information.

Original source can be found here.