Special to Iredell Free News

The Iredell County Health Department has worked for more than two years with local elected officials and research entities related to the elevated thyroid cancer rates in the two Mooresville ZIP codes.

On March 19, a thyroid cancer and structural coal ash informational community meeting was scheduled at South Iredell High School. Due to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) mass gathering recommendations followed by executive orders by the governor, the meeting was postponed to a date yet to be determined. The speakers and the panel of experts that were scheduled to present at the community meeting expressed concerns that presentations would be less effective for such an important subject matter on a virtual platform.

Although the community meeting was postponed and university research labs were closed and activities suspended, Iredell County, local elected officials and their research partners have continued progress and efforts researching the elevated thyroid cancer rates in the county.

Prior to the postponement of the community meeting, participants submitted questions through a survey to be answered by the panel of experts and elected officials. The submitted questions have recently been answered by Duke University; Iredell County Health Department; N.C. Department of Environmental Quality; NC Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch; Rep. John Fraley; Sen. Vickie Sawyer; the Town of Mooresville; and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Iredell County Health Department, local elected officials and their research partners are dedicated to addressing public health concerns that impact the health of Iredell County residents.

The submitted questions and the answers can be accessed through the Iredell County website by clicking on the following link: https://nc-iredellcounty.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/15683/2020-03-05-Thyroid–Coal-Ash-Community-Meeting-Questions-from-Survey-003-003?bidId