North Carolina remains in phase 2 of its reopening period and as of June 24, it became mandatory to wear face coverings in public when social distancing is not possible, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
In addition, certain businesses must have employees and customers wear face coverings, including retail businesses, restaurants, personal care and grooming; employees of child care centers and camps; state government agencies under the Governor’s Cabinet; workers and riders of transportation; and workers in construction/trades, manufacturing, agriculture, meat processing and healthcare and long-term care settings.
The responsibility will be on businesses and stores to enforce the use of face coverings. Law enforcement personnel are not authorized to criminally enforce the face covering requirements of the executive order, but can enforce trespassing laws.
“The sheriff’s office will leave it to business owners how they operate. No business owner, employee or patron of a business will be cited or arrested for not wearing a mask or face covering,” Clay County Sheriff Bobby Deese wrote in a letter on page 5 of this week’s issue.
On Tuesday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported more than 1,000 cases for the seventh straight day. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 rose above 900.
Statewide figures reported by DHHS show there were 64,670 confirmed cases of COVID-19 out of 910,033 completed test. There have been 1,343 deaths. There were 45,538 patients presumed to be recovered.
By contrast, Clay County remains in a low category as far as positive cases.
According to the June 30 COVID-19 update reported by the Clay County Health Department, there have been 432 residents tested in our county with 424 of those negative. Of those tested, in April 178 staff and residents were tested at Clay County Care Center. All came back negative.
In total Clay County has reported 13 positive cases with 12 of those recovered. Eight tests are pending.
On Tuesday the health department reported a positive case involving a resident who was tested at an out-of -state facility after being in contact with a known positive family members who live in Georgia. The resident was already self-quarantining before being tested and has stayed in isolation. “The individual is doing well and not currently experiencing any symptoms,” according to the health department report.
In Cherokee County, a resident who was reported to have COVID-19 during a press release yesterday has died from complications of COVID-19. This individual was in his/her late 80s, according to the Cherokee County Health Department report. This is the second COVID-19 related death in Cherokee County.
As of June 28, Cherokee County had tested 2,145 individuals. Of those 1,877 were negative, 223 are pending and 45 were positive. Thirty-one of those positives have been released, leaving 13 active.
The CDC and DHSS recommends people follow the three W’s in helping the state flatten the curve and move toward its goal of reopening: Wear a facial mask, wash hands for at least 20 seconds and wait six feet apart.
Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to revisit whether the state will move on to stage 3 of the state’s reopening plan on July 17.