The Hamilton County Health Department is notifying the community of potential COVID-19 exposures associated with the Christian Student Center, at 609 Houston St., beginning Monday, Sept. 7, through Friday, Sept. 11.
Case investigations revealed that UTC students and members of the community who attended events at the center during that timeframe may have been exposed to an individual during their infectious period of COVID-19.
The UTC COVID-19 Campus Support Team is pursuing student contacts who may have had exposure.
It is recommended that those who may have been exposed get tested and self-monitor for symptoms. UTC students with potential exposure are asked to complete the COVID-19 Notification Form, which can be found at utc.edu/covidnotify or to call the campus office of Student Outreach and Support at 423 425-2299.
“If you have been exposed to someone with the virus, you should quarantine from others for 14 days, monitor yourself for symptoms, and get tested,” said Health Department Administrator Becky Barnes.
If COVID-19 symptoms occur, do not leave your house except to visit a testing location or healthcare provider. If symptoms become worse, seek medical care quickly. Symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, recent change in smell or taste, headache, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, or other symptoms as recognized by the CDC.
“The University is taking all necessary precautions to protect the UTC community,” said UTC Chief Epidemiologist, Dawn Ford, “UTC has resources and other information about what happens when a positive case of COVID-19 is reported at UTC. See the UTC website for more information at https://blog.utc.edu/coronavirus/what-happens-when-a-covid-19-case-is-reported/ .”
Free Health Department COVID-19 testing is available daily from 7-11:30 a.m. at the Alstom Plant, located at 1125 Riverfront Parkway, Chattanooga, Tn. 37402.
The testing site is open to the public without an appointment or referral. Free transportation is available. Call the Health Department’s COVID-19 hotline at 423 209-8383 for COVID-19 questions, or to schedule transportation to the testing site. The hotline is open Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.