Appalachia housing facility placed in 'precaution zone' over virus cases

April 10, 2020
TERRAN YOUNG PHOTO TERRAN YOUNG PHOTO

The Appalachian Towers building in downtown Appalachia is now within a “precaution zone” set up by town officials in response to recent positive cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Town Manager Fred Luntsford, Wise County Housing Authority Executive Director Monty L. Salyer and Wise County/Norton Commonwealth Attorney Chuck Slemp made the announcement in a joint statement released Friday morning.

At Luntsford’s request, Appalachia police established a barricade and police line perimeter around the public housing facility at 8 a.m., according to a press release.

The protective zone will be in place for 14 days or until the restrictions are lifted per the recommendation of the federal Centers for Disease Control and the director of the LENOWISCO Health District.

The housing authority notified all residents of the actions and is providing residents with food, drinks and medications, with help from the town and Wise County Emergency Management.

The release states that the town received a letter from health district Director Dr. Eleanor Sue Cantrell, stating that as of April 5, “all residents of the Appalachia Towers Building ‘were quarantined due to their risk of exposure to COVID-19 infection.’ These residents are requested to remain in their homes for their safety and the safety of others.”

Cantrell has noted in previous articles that the state health department does not publicly identify the geographic location of positive COVID-19 cases within the county.

Anyone who crosses the police lines and barricade zone without town authorization can be charged with a Class 3 misdemeanor, according to the release.

“All that we have done up to this point and all that we will do in the future is for the safety and preservation of the health of all the residents of the town of Appalachia and Wise County,” Luntsford said in the release.

Salyer said: “COVID-19 is an uncharted territory with frightening results. We feel these temporary precautions are for the safety and well-being of all our residents at Appalachian Towers.”

“We all must do our part to prevent further spread of the virus,” Slemp said. “It is my hope that these measures will keep the community safe until the threat of COVID-19 community spread has passed.”