In lieu of an August Civic Affairs meeting (the July meeting was also cancelled), OCBA posted these updates on the Ocracoke Civic & Business Association Facebook page.
Justin Leblanc-Waterways Commission
“The waterways commission will reconvene after a one-year hiatus on Monday, August 31. Remote login will be available. We will be receiving status reports from NC Ferry, Army Corps, USCG Aids to Navigation, and hopefully Dare County Waterways Commission. We will be discussing the conditions in Big Foot Slough and the Dare proposal to move the federally authorized channel in Hatteras Inlet to the current ferry route.”
Jed Dixon-NCDOT Ferry Division
“The approach channel leading to Ocracoke known as “Big Foot Slough” continues to be a problem for ferry operations. We are currently unable to run the MV Sea Level or the MV Swan Quarter due to the shallow conditions in the channel. Last week the Ferry Division met with boat State and Local elected officials to bring awareness to the issue. This channel is under the US Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction and currently there are no funds available in the projects budget to address the issue.”
“The MV Silver Lake returned to service on Sunday which allowed us to return to a 2-boat schedule on the Pamlico Sound runs. The schedule Ocracoke/Cedar Island and Ocracoke/Swan Quarter is as follows”:
- Ocracoke-Cedar Island: 7:30 a.m., 1 p.m.
- Cedar Island-Ocracoke: 10:30 a.m., 4:30 p.m.
- Ocracoke-Swan Quarter: 7:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m.
- Swan Quarter-Ocracoke: 10 a.m., 4:30 p.m.
“The US Army Corps of Engineers recently informed the Ferry Division that the entire ferry channel from Hatteras to Southdock will now fall under the Rollinson Channel project. Previously only a portion of the current horseshoe route had fallen und Corps Authorization. The US Army Corps will now be responsible dredging the route in its entirety.”
Luana Gibbs-Hyde County Health Department
COVID numbers as of 8/19/2020:
- Total cases: 62
- Active cases: 21
- Recovered: 41
- Hospitalizations: 2
“Ocracoke Island has had 2 visitors with Laboratory Confirmed Tests, but both visitors have left the Island.”
“Ocracoke has had one residential case identified, but the case actually resides off the island, therefore the case has been removed from Ocracoke numbers. To date, Ocracoke continues to have Zero cases.”
REMINDER OF Protocol for Ocracoke Potential and Laboratory Confirmed Cases - Visitors/Vacationers
- Visitors who are sick should leave and return home. They may be tested at the Health Center, but are told to self isolate at their residence, not in a vacation rental.
- Health Department begins immediate contact tracing of a positive case, notifying any close contacts of a potential exposure to Covid and providing instructions.
- A laboratory confirmed case is advised to leave the island immediately, may be driven back home if clinically stable, following proper isolation orders while en route.
- If too sick to travel, but not sick enough for hospitalization, is vacated from the Island and set up in non-congregate shelter (Health Department handles this).
- The local health department of the county the vacationer resides takes over the case.
- Health Department notifies any lodging accommodations where a case has stayed, giving instructions on cleaning.
“Prevention practices are the 3 Ws - Wear facial covering, Wait 6 feet apart, Wash your hands frequently.”
www.hydehealth.com
“As always, the Hyde County Health Department remains available to the public to answer questions and provide education. We can be reached at 926-4399 Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.”
Get your information from reliable sources, such as:
- CDC, www.cdc.gov/Coronavirus
- NC Division of Health and Human Services, www.ncdhhs.gov, 1-866-462-3821 (NC Coronavirus Hotline)
- Hyde County Health Department, www.hydehealth.com, 252-926-4399
This information was shared by Jesse Stevens, OCBA administrator. Questions can be sent to him at jstevens@ocracokecba.com