Putnam Reaching Out to Venues and Events Over COVID

Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter has asked Emergency Management to work with venues to make any gathering as safe as possible.

Emergency Management Agency Public Affairs Officer Brandon Smith said this is not the best time to hold events. However, Smith said that EMA has started reaching out to provide recommendations, and the best guidance available.

“There’s several things that they can do to try to mitigate the spread of the virus at their event, like eliminating crowd flow choke points where attendees are gonna gather at entry points or standing in line,” Smith said. “Plan for social distancing during the event and the activities, use face coverings at all times, and educate attendees just to stay home if they feel ill.”

Smith said these are not requirements or mandates on how events are to be held in Putnam County, but rather suggestions.

“There is no requirement on anything that we’re doing, if someone asks us to come in and help them,” Smith said. “We’re gonna come in and just give them the best advice we can with what we know about the virus at the current time.”

Smith said there a call set with the CDC on Monday to talk through the CDC’s guidance for planned events. Smith said new ways to modify events becomes possible as more information becomes known about COVID.

“We also are learning ways to modify the events and our venues to make them safer than they otherwise would be,” Smith said. “We’re reaching out to local venues that host meetings and events and trying to help them come up with ways to plan and prepare their facility with those protective measures in mind.”

Smith said indoor events, for example, should be accompanied by increased airflow. Also, venues could equip HVAC systems with UV lights and filters.

Smith said if an entity plans on hosting an event they can reach out for guidance at 931-646-4636.