North Carolina to Remain Paused in “Safer At Home” Phase 2
Governor Roy Cooper today announced that North Carolina will remain paused in Safer At Home Phase 2 for another 5 weeks as students and staff return to schools, colleges and universities and the state doubles down on efforts to decrease COVID-19 numbers.
“Other states that lifted restrictions quickly have had to go backward as their hospital capacity ran dangerously low and their cases jumped higher. We will not make that mistake in North Carolina,” said Governor Cooper. “In keeping with our dimmer switch approach with schools opening, and in order to push for decreasing numbers which will keep people healthier and boost our economy, North Carolina will remain paused in Safer At Home Phase 2 for 5 weeks.”
Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services shared an update on North Carolina’s data trends. Dr. Cohen explained that while some of North Carolina’s numbers have mostly leveled, any progress is fragile as other states have shown with sudden and devastating surges in viral spread.
“While overall we are seeing signs of stability, we still have much work to do. Our recent trends show us what is possible when we commit to slowing the spread by wearing face coverings and following those simple but powerful 3Ws,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, M.D.
Trajectory in COVID-Like Illness (CLI) Surveillance Over 14 Days
- North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is declining, though remains elevated.
Trajectory of Lab-Confirmed Cases Over 14 Days
- North Carolina’s trajectory of lab-confirmed cases has stabilized but remains high.
Trajectory in Percent of Tests Returning Positive Over 14 Days
- North Carolina’s trajectory in percent of tests returning positive is stable but still elevated.
Trajectory in Hospitalizations Over 14 Days
- North Carolina’s trajectory of hospitalizations is beginning to level.
In addition to these metrics, the state continues building capacity to be able to adequately respond to an increase in virus spread. These areas include:
Laboratory Testing
While testing turnaround times have improved, the number of tests done has decreased over the past week. Testing is a priority for anyone who has symptoms or those who may have been exposed to COVID-19, including:
- Anyone who has attended a mass gathering including a protest.
- Anyone who works in a setting at higher risk of exposure such as a grocery store, restaurant, gas station, or childcare program.
- People who live or work in high-risk settings such as long-term facilities, homeless shelters, correctional facilities or food processing facility.
Tracing Capability
We continue hiring contact tracers to bolster the efforts of local health departments. There are over 1,500 full-time and part-time staff supporting contact tracing efforts, including the 615 Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) contact tracers.
Personal Protective Equipment
- Our personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies are stable.
View the slides and graphs from today’s presentation.
Read the Executive Order.
Based on politics, not science. 39 – 56 million cases of the flu. 4 million of this virus. Why weren’t our hospitals overrun with flu victims?
We are seeing Unconstitutional edicts, like cooper’s, being upheld in some courts. I’ve witnessed our God given Constitutional rights being steadily trampled as far back as the 1960s.
Sorry dude. It’s not only based on science, but also on plainly observable issues that don’t even require a scientist to understand. Pull your head out of the sand. Look all over the US and the world. See what is actually happening – not what someone’s interpretation is. I mean actual, observable sh…tuff.
The only position here that is based on politics and not science is yours.
Now that’s funny. Your Constitution didn’t come from any imaginary man in the sky. It came from the people which is where all rights came from.
And let’s try some REAL facts. In the 2019 flu season the CDC estimates that 35.5 million people got the flu and 34,000 died. As of today there are approximately 4.9 million cases of Covid-19 in the US with 160,000 deaths. Can you see why this is different? FACTS. Stop denying them you make yourself and everyone like you like like idiots.
Convenient use of statistics….now what is the next statistic that explains why this pandemic is so critical. That next statistic on the CDC page that you got the number of flu cases from. 39M – 56M cases, and 38,000 to 42,000 estimated deaths. That is about a 0.1% death rate, or one for every 1000 people. It should scare you, at least a little, that there have been more 155,000 deaths with only the nearly 5M cases of COVID-19. That is a death rate of 3.8%, or 38 people for every 1000 people. You should also keep in mind that the number of current cases, while not under control, is still somewhat “flattened” by the restrictions you are so frustrated with. If our case counts were higher, as it was initially in countries like Italy, we’d like have death rates near the 10% mark like they did.
I get frustrated…but there need to be some controls to keep people safe.
I always do the opposite of whatever a democrat politician tells me to do. That makes me right 100 percent of the time.
Well then James, drink your Clorox koolaid , watch Faux news and wait for the covid to magically disappear. POOF!
SMH…
I see you have now reach Stage 4 TDS.
James, it’s not “democrat politicians” – it’s an entire planet full of scientists who spend their full time work on understanding infectious diseases and their spread. Open your eyes. See what is actually happening. Get out of la la land.
You are the one who needs educated. What a majority believes does not make an opinion a fact. The world is ruled by group think. The knowledge of God is the beginning of wisdom.
Holy cow. There’s nothing about “majority believes” here – nor “opinion.”
Presumably you still think that the world is flat and only about 6,000 years old. “God” luck with that.
When you want to know what the center of the problem is, look in the mirror.