Asheville Reporter

County of Haywood issued the following announcement on Feb. 25.

Effective immediately, masking will be optional, although highly encouraged, in all Haywood County public facilities with a few exceptions:

Exceptions:

• Masks will be required in all Health and Human Services Agency & Public Health facilities where the public is seen for services.
• Masks will be required when visiting the Employee Wellness Clinic.
• EMS staff are required to mask on all calls (N95 or equivalent on potential COVID calls). Patients on calls will be masked during care, when possible.
• The Haywood County Detention Center will be following guidelines provided by the North Carolina Jail Administrator’s Association.
• The Justice Center follows guidelines from the State Court System.  Starting Monday, February 21, 2022, at 8:00 am, masks will be optional in that facility as well.

While masking is now optional in county facilities, we encourage everyone to continue to follow the public health best practices which we know to be effective in slowing the transmission of COVID-19. 

Full vaccination, including booster shots when eligible, are highly encouraged to prevent serious illness and death from COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are available Monday -  Friday 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency located at 157 Paragon Parkway, Clyde NC. No appointment is necessary.

As always, county employees are expected to isolate themselves at home at the first sign of illness, test on day 5 of symptoms, report illness immediately to their supervisors, and return to work only when symptoms are improving, and there has been no fever (without fever-reducing medications) for more than 24 hours.

Free diagnostic testing is available to county employees at the county health clinic. 

Free diagnostic testing is available to the public at the testing site at Lake Junaluska. Appointments are preferred, but not required.

To book an appointment: 

1. Visit: COVID-19 Test Registration (lhi.care)
2. Choose your location and click GET STARTED
3. Follow the steps for account creation and registration

Call 828-356-2019 if you have questions about booking an appointment. Masks will be required to enter the testing area.

COVID Testing Site Location: 

Lake Junaluska Wilson Children’s Complex

 21 Shackford Hall Rd

 Lake Junaluska, NC 28745

Testing Site Hours:

M, T — Closed

W, TH, F — 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Sat, Sun — 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The county reserves the right to revisit, update and amend this policy if increased public health protective measures are deemed necessary. 

Original source can be found here.