Residents warned of Covid-19 scams

Friday, July 3, 2020

During his Wednesday press conference, Blytheville Mayor James Sanders said he is temporarily closing the Walker Park pool becaue of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the state of Arkansas.

Sanders stated, according Dr. Valencia Andrews-Pirtle, there has been a spike in the COVID-19 numbers with young people.

“This is all in exercise of caution to eliminate or reduce the spread,” Sanders said.

Meanwhile, a recent Covid-19 testing scam has been circling social media the last few days, according to the mayor.

Sanders stated that if the scammers ask for a social security number or don’t have on personal protection equipment then it is a scam. He said Healthy Partners, the local hospitals and physicians could administer tests for those who need them.

Sanders said if citizens see potential scams, call the health department, physicians or law enforcement to verify these tests are legitimate.

“If they think something is suspicious about what is happening, we will look at it and get with the Health Department and try to verify it,” said Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson.

Meanwhile, Blytheville Fire Chief Mike Carney said that the person in the department who was in quarantine has returned to work and the fire department is back to the “new normal”.

Thompson stated that all of the officers are healthy, however, a clerk has come in contact with someone who did test positive for the coronavirus and they are awaiting those test results.

Sanders added that other city offices are healthy. Thompson encouraged residents to wear masks.