Amid Coronavirus concerns, the High Point Market Authority has released a statement announcing that there will be no date changes to spring High Point Market, which kicks off on April 25, 2020. The Market organization is also sharing that it will take the necessary precautions to keep market guests safe. HPMA is closely monitoring coronavirus (COVID-19) updates, including reports from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), State Department, and World Health Organization (WHO). “We are prepared to take any precautions necessary to keep all of our guests safe, as safety is our top priority,” HPMA said in a statement.
“Currently, we are in conversation with the coalition of local health professionals who regularly assist us in providing medical services for every Market. These partners include the City of High Point emergency manager, Guilford County Health Department and emergency manager, and Wake Forest Baptist High Point Medical Center.”
The precautions HPMA is preparing for the safety of market guests include the following:
- The medical services that are in place for all Markets will be available for our Spring 2020 event.” Wake Forest Baptist Health provides a medical unit within the Market district to handle minor care. Piedmont Triad Ambulance and Rescue maintains a fully stocked ambulance on site to work in tandem with the medical unit. Guilford County and High Point Fire EMS teams are on the street to act as first responders. Additionally, an emergency alert system, instituted in October 2019, will deliver text message alerts for weather emergencies, health concerns or security situations to all Market guests who opt in by texting HPMKT to 888-777.
- Procedures implemented in response to past concerns about possible Ebola and SARS outbreaks are in place and ready to be implemented. If necessary, we are prepared to provide an exterior guest screening area at the medical unit, and the ambulance will be standing by to assist with any quarantine requirements.
- We are also implementing more stringent housekeeping and food service procedures. Building managers are being asked to wipe frequently touched surfaces more often and to install more hand sanitizer stations. Food service vendors are being encouraged to have employees wash their hands more frequently and to make alcohol-based hand gel/rub available at every food station and table.
For the latest updates from the CDC, please visit the CDC website.
Updates from concerned organizations
The CDC considers 2019-nCoV to be a very serious public health threat, but considers the current immediate health risk to the general American public to be low at this time.The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina notes that the current risk to the general public in North Carolina is low. At this time, there have been very few individual cases in the United States. To minimize the risk of the virus spreading, health officials are working with health care providers to promptly identify and evaluate any suspected cases.
Gloria Guevara, president and CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) cautions,“Containing the spread of unnecessary panic is as important as stopping the virus itself.”
