June 17, 2020
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Dr. Mandy Cohen, gave an update to the House Health Committee again this week on the department’s response to COVID-19.
Secretary Cohen began the presentation by giving an overview of the state’s COVID-19 metrics. The number of COVID-19 positive cases has continued to increase, the percentage of positive tests has remained mostly level but on the higher end of the spectrum, and hospitalizations are at another all-time high today. These numbers remain a concern for the department as the state evaluates how to reopen more businesses safely and boost the economy. Secretary Cohen also explained the relative risk of certain activities and settings, such as being indoors or outdoors, and being stationary or moving. Other considerations are being evaluated for viral spread, including distance from other people, length of time in one location, air circulation, heavy breathing from singing or exercising, exposure to sunlight, and the indoor temperature.
All of these factors play a role in the state reopening businesses using a “dimmer switch” approach. This approach eases restrictions beginning with lower risk activities while closely monitoring the spread of the virus across our state. Secretary Cohen continued to emphasize the importance of the 3Ws: Wear a face covering, Wait six feet apart, and Wash your hands. New research has been released on the effectiveness of face coverings, showing that as many as 230,000-450,000 cases of COVID-19 cases may have been averted by May 22nd due to face covering mandates in 15 states and D.C. In a press conference earlier this week, Governor Cooper announced that the state may consider a cloth face covering requirement.
As the department continues to respond to COVID-19, top priorities are preventing the spread of the virus, increasing testing, and ramping up contact tracing and isolation support. Furthermore, state resources have been directed to nine counties that have been hit particularly hard by COVID-19, including Alamance, Duplin, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Johnston, Lee, Mecklenburg, and Wake counties. Secretary Cohen also highlighted the state’s increased support for long-term care facilities. The department will begin testing all residents and staff at long-term care facilities if there is one positive case in staff or a resident reported. This testing initiative is already occurring at the state-run facilities, and will now be expanded to all nursing homes in the state.