Council receives virus update

BIG STONE GAP — “It’s getting more serious all the time,” Town Manager Steve Lawson said Tuesday of the COVID-19 situation in the area.

While Lawson didn’t offer official numbers during the Nov. 10 council meeting, he talked about the rising cases.

“Wise County is continuing to blow up,” said Lawson. “I don’t know how to get people’s attention about the increase in numbers.”

Council member Crystal Lyke disclosed that she recently lost her grandmother to COVID-19.

“I don’t know what we can do to make people start taking it seriously,” said Lyke. “It’s a different world we are living in now. There are a lot of questions out there and unanswered things.”

As the rest of council offered condolences to Lyke, Mayor Gary Johnson weighed in with a coronavirus scare of his own, stating that his grandson was exposed but thankfully tested negative. “It doesn’t get real until it hits close to home, and when it hits you, it hits you hard,” he said, tearfully.

Lyke suggested council show a united front in the fight against the virus. Council members have agreed to work together to create a Christmas display in support of COVID-19 safety precaution measures. Council is still deciding what the display will consist of and where it will be located.