The Hamilton County Health Department, in partnership with UTC, is notifying the community of potential COVID-19 exposures associated with the Delta Zeta Sorority House, located at 1106 E 10th St., beginning Saturday, Aug. 8 through today (Sunday, Aug. 16).
Exposure associated with the Delta Zeta Sorority took place the evening of Aug.
8 at an apartment party located at Bluebird Row, 1348 Passenger St. behind the Chattanooga Choo Choo and at the Chattanooga Billiards Club, 725 Cherry St., officials said.
Case investigations revealed that UTC students who are presently residing at the sorority house, and members of the community who visited or associated with Delta Zeta activities, may have been and/or are currently exposed to individuals during their infectious period of COVID-19, it was stated.
The UTC COVID-19 Campus Support Team is pursuing student contacts who may have had exposure. It is recommended that those who have been in contact with members of the sorority since Aug. 8 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 https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?UTChattanooga&layout_id=61 and/or to call the campus office of Student Outreach and Support at (423) 425-2299.
Members of the UTC community are urged to be responsive to communication efforts by the UTC COVID-19 Campus Support Team. Cooperation with these efforts is critical to mitigate the spread of the virus. officials said.
The Hamilton County Health Department is engaged in efforts to identify and contact residents of Chattanooga and surrounding communities who may have been exposed.
This comes after UTC was dealing with COVID exposure at a fraternity on Vine Street.
“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 as fall semester classes begin Monday,” said UTC Chief Epidemiologist Dawn Ford. “Months of planning and preparations at UTC have resulted in extensive health and safety protocols and precautions in place for the protection of students, faculty and staff. In addition to contact tracing, 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 at the following locations and times:
Alstom Plant, 1125 Riverfront Parkway, Chattanooga, TN 37402:
- Monday, August 17, testing at the Alstom Plant is open daily from 7-11:30 a.m.
Union Hill Baptist Church, 1800 N Chamberlain Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37406
- Saturday, August 22, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Sunday, August 23, 12-3 p.m.
These sites are 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 a testing site. The hotline is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.