Greenville Utilities continues to monitor the coronavirus pandemic and guidelines set forth by the State and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). On Wednesday, June 24th, Governor Roy Cooper held a press conference where he and his team shared concerning trends regarding the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state. As a result, the Phase 2 Reopening Plan for North Carolina has been extended by an additional three weeks. 

Phase 2 now also includes an order from the Governor that everyone in North Carolina (with some exceptions) must wear a face mask whenever social distancing cannot be maintained. In light of these changes, the Safety Office shared updated Phase 2 guidelines to keep our employees, our customers, and our community safe. Visit our COVID-19  page on MyGUC to see the updates along with the latest mask requirements from the Safety Office https://guco.sharepoint.com/sites/COVID-19Information. 

Phase 3 Planning 
General Manager/CEO Tony Cannon has directed the Management Team to continue working on recommendations for Phase 3. Workgroups across all departments have been meeting and creating proposals for how best to bring employees back into our facilities while ensuring the health and safety of everyone, including our customers. More details will be shared as plans are finalized.   

Pandemic Safety Reminders 

The GUC Clinic and Safety Office would like to remind everyone of the important steps we must all take to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace and in our community: 

• Wash hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an approved hand sanitizer. 
• Clean and disinfect frequently-touched or shared objects and surfaces with an approved product. Approved cleaners and disinfectants can be obtained from Stores. 
• Maintain a minimum social distance of six feet when around others. If social distancing cannot be maintained, wear a face mask. Face masks can be obtained from Stores. 
• If you learn that you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, contact your supervisor immediately. 
• If you begin to feel sick while at home or working from home, stay home and notify your supervisor. 
• If you begin to feel sick while at work, immediately collect your belongings and leave the GUC location. Also: 
  • Immediately notify your supervisor, via phone. 
  • Notify the GUC Occupational Health Clinic, via phone, to report your symptoms. 

COVID-19 Testing 

The GUC Occupational Health Clinic is qualified to perform COVID-19 testing for individuals who meet the testing criteria set forth by the State of North Carolina. When an employee notifies the GUC Clinic of a potential exposure to COVID-19, or if they are experiencing symptoms, the Clinic will conduct an over-the-phone assessment to determine the need for testing. If the employee meets the criteria, the Clinic will schedule a test.  

To minimize the potential for exposure to others, employees will wait in their vehicle while Clinic staff bring the testing supplies out to the parking lot. Once the test is completed and submitted to the lab, the Clinic can generally have the results back in 24-36 hours. 

“Thank you for all the hard work you are doing to minimize the spread of this virus,” said Occupational Health Nurse Sonia Pickens. “Your continued efforts will help protect yourselves, your co-workers, and your families.”