1000 x 90

Boone Town Council Brings Mask Mandate Back for Town Businesses Beginning August 10; Watauga County has 63 Active COVID-19 Cases

During a special Boone Town Council meeting on Friday morning, the town council voted to require that masks be worn by patrons and staff starting on Tuesday, August 10 at 5 p.m. According to the mandate, enforcement and penalties for not following the mask ordinance will begin on Tuesday, August 31.

Businesses are also free to implement any other additional COVID-19 restrictions if they choose to.

Active COVID-19 cases have spiked in Watauga County from 22 cases last Friday to 63 active cases today with 57 others in the county being monitored. Ashe County has 43 active cases and 35 people being monitored while Alleghany County has 11 active cases with four people being monitored.

AppHealthCare is encouraging anyone that hasn’t been vaccinated yet to schedule an appointment. They are offering the vaccine at any of their three health care clinics in Alleghany, Ashe and Watauga counties. To schedule an appointment in Alleghany County, call 336-372-5641. To schedule an appointment in Ashe County, call 336-246-9449 or to schedule an appointment in Watauga County call 828-264-4995. You can also choose to drop by for a walk-in appointment from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the three clinic locations:

AppHealthCare – Alleghany, 157 Health Services Road, Sparta, NC 28675

Watauga County Health Department, 126 Poplar Grove Connector, Boone, NC 28607

AppHealthCare – Ashe Health Center, 413 McConnell Street, Jefferson, NC 28640

Appalachian State Chancellor Dr. Sheri Everts released a statement on Friday to remind incoming students of the university’s current COVID-19 policies.

“The pandemic is still very much with us. I cannot stress more urgently how essential it is for our continued in-person experience that we all get vaccinated against COVID-19. The vaccine is the single most effective tool we have to prevent serious illness and death from COVID-19, and to slow the spread of the virus,” Everts said. “We will maintain our practice of making data-driven decisions about COVID safety that are informed by the latest guidance from federal, state and local public health agencies, as well as guidance from the UNC System.”

Face coverings are now required in all indoor campus locations due to cases rising in Watauga County and the county moving to the category of “substantial” transmission rates. Students, faculty and staff who have not uploaded their vaccine status will be required to participate in regular, randomized COVID-19 testing. Visit the vaccine page of App State’s coronavirus website for additional information, including how to submit your COVID vaccine status.