New Hanover County school nurses on-call for COVID-19 questions

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — School nurses say when they are hired, they are told they are public health nurses first and foremost.

So when schools closed, many began serving the public.

Julie Kornegay has been a nurse for New Hanover County Schools for the past 12 years.

Now she is working to answer the public’s questions at the Coronavirus Call Center.

She says she and two other nurses typically get about 20 calls each per day.

Questions about coronavirus symptoms, which businesses are considered essential, taking reports of those who are breaking order, and many other things.

“People calling about symptoms and questions. Wanting to know where they can do to get tested, wanted to know where they can be seen if they’re just sick and not having anything to do with COVID, which offices are still open,” Kornegay said. “Most people just want to know that they’re doing the right thing to take care of themselves and the people in the home with them.”

If you have questions of your own, you can call 910-798-6800 Monday-Friday 8AM to 5PM. On weekends, you can call the same number, leave a voicemail, and an on-call nurse will return your call.