HIGH POINT, N.C. - As spring market nears, the High Point Market Authority is monitoring closely updates regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), including reports from the CDC, State Department, and World Health Organization. We are prepared to take additional precautions if they become necessary to keep all of our market guests safe during the April show, as safety is our top priority.
With two and a half months to go until spring market, we have not currently altered any safety and security measures nor preparedness plans in response to the outbreak. We have begun conversations with our coalition of local medical health professionals who regularly assist us in providing medical services every market. These partners include the City of High Point emergency manager, Guilford County Health Department and emergency manager, and Wake Forest Baptist High Point Medical Center.
During a routine market, several medical services are typically in place. Wake Forest Baptist Health provides a medical unit within the market district to handle minor medical care. Piedmont Triad Ambulance and Rescue provides a fully stocked ambulance onsite to work in tandem with the medical unit. Guilford County and High Point Fire provide EMS bike teams on the street to act as first responders for medical incidents. Additionally, an emergency alert system was instituted in October 2019 to allow market guests who opt-in to receive text message alerts for weather emergencies, health concerns, or security situations.
If there is an elevated health risk during a market, these typical preparations can be escalated to include an exterior guest screening area before accessing the medical unit and the ambulance can assist with any quarantine situations that may arise. These elevated precautions have been implemented during previous markets in response to other diseases such as Ebola and SARS.