County offering webpage for COVID-19 information

Milam County is now offering a website page dealing with COVID-19 and giving information about everything going on.

You can find information at http://www.milamcounty.net/page/milam.COVID19

The site offers an updated tally of cases in Milam County and the surrounding cases.

The County Judge Steve Young, Health Department Director Robert Kirkpatrick, Sheriff Chris White and Emergency Management Coordinator Bryan Burns had an update on Judge Steve Young's Facebook page this afternoon saying if you have been in contact with the person who has been identified with COVID-19 in the county you will get a call from the state.

Young said we were the first county in the state to put emergency orders in effect without having a case in the county and he feels that will help us in the long run.

He also said there are several resources for small businesses effected by the pandemic that he will be posting as they become available.

"I understand there is some concern over the recent announcement of the Positive COVID-19 case being reported," Kirkpatrick said. "I’d like to explain the process of how positive cases are handled once received."

Kirkpatrick said once a lab result comes back positive the health department contacts the individual to start a contact investigation. This includes determining who all the positive case was in contact with during their infectious time prior to be the lab results being received. The individual is additionally asked to self-isolate themselves at home until they are cleared. If the individual does not comply with this request we can elevate to other options.

He said once all contacts are determined to include phone numbers the health department begins calling all identified contacts. Sometimes the individual who is positive has already contacts these people to let them know the health department will be contacting them.

"The health department goal is to call everyone as soon as possible. It is possible that the list may take the health department up to 24 hours to contact everyone," Kirkpatrick said. "Know that we are busy staying on top of our ever-changing environment to best serve the residents of Milam County!"

You can link to the video update here: https://www.facebook.com/steve.young.71216/videos/10218361751728868/?epa...