Beaufort County Emergency Management: COVID-19 Update (5-10-20) | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

5/10/2020 Beaufort County, NC
COVID-19 SITREP
The following information is as of 5:30pm
Updates from our previous posting have been highlighted.

    Case Statistics
 PopulationTotal
Confirmed Cases
Current
Active Cases
DeathsRecovered
Worldwide7.6 Billion4,088,939 (+84,715)2,690,892 (+35,051)281,983 (+3,848)1,397,501 (+49,118)
USA330 Million1,326,135 (+20,936)1,113,604 (+7,398)79,384 (+915)212,534 (+13,541)
NC10.4 Million14,920 (+464)*See Note Below*562 (+11)*See Note Below*
Beaufort Co.49,00025 (+2)3 (+2)022
*Text in red or green indicates changes since our last update.*
*North Carolina is currently not actively tracking the cumulative total of Recovered cases in our state. Therefore, we are unable to report with consistency total number of Current Active Cases. However, we will continue to provide this information at a county level.*

  • NC has total 14,920 confirmed cases across 99 counties, with 562 deaths and 442 hospitalizations.
  • Beaufort County has had a total of 25 cases, with 3 currently active. Six (7) of our positive cases, including our most recent positive, were asymptomatic. (Meaning they experienced no symptoms.) Contact tracing of these known cases have concluded:
    • (7) case was contributed to direct contact with a known patient from another county.
    • (2) cases were related to travel to a known outbreak area.
    • (13) cases are attributed to community spread.
    • (3) case is still under investigation.
  • All active cases are self-isolating.
  • Eastern NC counties with total confirmed cases include: Bertie, (61), Beaufort (25), Bladen (52), Brunswick (50), Carteret (32), Camden (2), Chowan (11), Columbus (203), Craven (54), Currituck (9), Dare (19), Duplin (242), Edgecombe (153), Gates (11), Greene (34), Halifax (91), Hertford (49), Hyde (1), Jones (18), Lenoir (118), Martin (29), New Hanover (107), North Hampton (118), Onslow (53), Pamlico (8), Pasquotank (82), Pender (39), Perquimans (17), Pitt (162) Sampson (156), Tyrrell (4), Washington (25), Wayne (743) and Wilson (203). Mecklenburg (2,074), Wake (1,030), and Durham (876) counties have the most cases.

Please Remember and Practice "The 3 Ws"

Wear Face Coverings
Wait 6' Apart
Wash Your Hands Often

    EO 138 Phase One — Guidance for Religious Services and Mass Gathering Restrictions (From the Office of Governor Cooper)

    On May 5, 2020, Governor Cooper signed Executive Order 138 ("Phase One Order"). The Phase One Order addresses the current status of the Statewide Stay at Home Order, including limits on certain travel and business operations as well as current mass gathering restrictions. The mass gathering restrictions in the Phase One Order provide more flexibility for many activities, including religious worship. The mass gathering requirements in the Phase One Order are currently set to remain in effect for two weeks beginning on Friday, 8 May 2020. This guidance document describes certain special accommodations for religious worship that are set forth in the Phase One Order. This document is intended to provide helpful guidance. It does not change or override the terms of any Executive Orders. In carrying out the Phase One Order to protect members of the public, local authorities are encouraged to initially address violations with education and warnings.

    Section 6 of the Phase One Order generally prohibits mass gatherings. A mass gathering is defined as an "event or convening that brings together more than ten (10) persons at the same time in a single space such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, conference room, meeting hall, or any other confined indoor or outdoor space." However, some occurrences, including religious services, are excepted from the Order's definition of mass gathering. As discussed below, events such as worship services and weddings may take place indoors with ten or fewer people in attendance. These events may also take place outdoors without the ten-person attendance limit, if attendees follow as much as possible the Recommendations to Promote Social Distancing and Reduce Transmissions outlined in the Phase One Order. Public health experts have concluded that conducting these activities outdoors is necessary to protect public health because there is evidence that stationary activities that occur indoors have a higher likelihood of causing transmission of COVID-19.

    Outdoor Worship Services

    There is no limit on the number of people that can attend outdoor worship or wedding services. Attendees should follow, as much as possible, the Recommendations to Promote Social Distancing and Reduce Transmission highlighted in the Phase One Order. Therefore, an outdoor worship service, similar to a demonstration, may be held where families from the same household) in attendance maintain at least six feet of social distancing from other families or individuals. The event must be held in an unenclosed space (i.e. not an outdoor facility with walls). Outdoor worship services are also allowed without these restrictions where participants remain in their cars. Indoor Worship Services Indoor worship services and weddings are allowed for gatherings of ten people or fewer in the same confined space. However, nothing prevents an indoor worship service from being shifted to multiple services over a period of time, or held in different rooms, to meet the requirements of the Phase One Order.

    In situations where it is not possible to conduct worship services outdoors or through other accommodations — such as through, for example, a series of indoor services of ten or fewer attendees, or through online services — the ten-person attendance limit on indoor worship services does not apply. For example, there may be situations in which particular religious beliefs dictate that some or all of a religious service must be held indoors and that more than ten persons must be in attendance. While indoors, participants should continue to adhere to the Recommendations to Promote Social Distancing and Reduce Transmission.

    Funeral services

    To promote human dignity and limit suffering, up to fifty people may attend a funeral held indoors. People meeting at a funeral should observe the Recommendations to Promote Social Distancing and Reduce Transmission set forth in the Phase One Order.

    Re-Opening Timeline / Guidelines

    Below is a summary of our states plan for a phased reopening. Please note that these timelines / guidelines are subject to change based on case trends and / or additional executive orders.

    Phase I (Will begin at 5pm Friday May 8th, 2020 and continue for 2 weeks (May 22, 2020) or 3 weeks (May 30, 2020)

    Modified Stay-at-Home order. Opening of Bookstores, Clothing Stores, Sporting Goods Stores, Housewares Stores & other Retailers with social distancing, enhanced hygiene & cleaning protocols, symptom screening of employees, accommodations for vulnerable workers, and provide education to employees and workers to combat misinformation.

    Phase 1 Requirements

    Businesses planning to open Friday must adhere to the following requirements outlined in Executive Order 138

    Occupancy

  • Customer Capacity cannot exceed 50% of stated fire capacity OR 12 customers for every 1,000 sq. ft of total square footage.
  • Local governments cannot set different occupancy requirements.
  • Must display "Emergency Maximum Occupancy" signage.

    Distancing

  • Must display signage directing people to stay 6' apart.
  • Must have six-foot markings at point-of-sale and high traffic areas.

    Sanitation

  • Perform frequent and routine environmental cleaning and disinfection of counters, pin-pads and other high-touch areas with an EPA approved disinfectant for SARS-CoV-2

    Health Screening

  • Conduct daily symptom screening of workers
  • Immediately send symptomatic workers home

    Phase 1 Recommendations

    Executive Order 138 recommends the following for businesses that plan to open:

  • Direct workers to stay at least 6' apart from on another and from customers to the greatest extent possible.
  • Provide designated times for seniors and other high-risk populations to access services.
  • Develop and use systems that allow for online, email or telephone ordering, and provide for no-contact curbside pick-up, drive-through or home delivery.
  • High volume retail businesses such as grocery stores and pharmacies are strongly encouraged to:
    • Use acrylic / plastic shields at point of sale
    • Clearly mark entry / exit points
  • Continue to promote telework and limit non-essential travel.
  • Promote social distancing by reducing the number of people coming into the office, by providing 6' of distancing between desks, and by staggering shifts.
  • Limit face to face meetings to less than 10 mins.
  • Promote frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitizer.
  • Recommend that workers wear cloth face coverings.
  • Encourage sick workers to stay home.

    Answers to other frequently asked questions about Phase I can be found using the following link:

    https://files.nc.gov/governor/documents/files/FAQs-for-Phase-1-EO-FINAL.pdf

    A Message from Washington Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce: Planning for Next Steps

    Planning for Next Steps

    Tomorrow, Thursday, May 7th at 9:00 am, the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association will host a webinar on Planning for Next Steps.

    COVID-19 has significantly impacted all retailers, customers, and employees.

    Knowing that North Carolina retailers' first priority is always the health and safety of our customers and employees, this webinar will help make sure everyone understands the requirements, the recommendations — and how to know the difference — as we prepare for Phase 1 beginning on Friday, May 8th pursuant to Governor Cooper's Executive Order 138.

    Let NCRMA help you as you navigate this uncharted path. And, please share this email with other retailers in your network, shopping center, and communities that would benefit from this guidance.

    We invite you to register at: https://bit.ly/NCRMA-NextSteps

    When you register you will receive information on how to join the webinar in a couple of ways:

  1. You will be automatically directed to a confirmation page with a link you can copy and paste to take you to the webinar
  2. You will also receive an email confirmation with 2 options:
    • Click the "View Now" button at the top. It will direct you to the event page. (If you already have an Eventbrite account, it will ask you to log in). Once you are on the event page, click on the big NCRMA logo to go directly to the webinar,
    • OR
    • Scroll to the bottom and under "Additional Information" there is an active link to join the meeting.

    We recommend signing on to the webinar 5-10 minutes early to allow time to get connected and troubleshoot any problems.

    If you have any questions or problems, please contact Ann Edmondson via call or text at 919-818-5806 or email at anne@ncrma.org.

    Additional Business / Employer Guidance can also be found by using the following link:

    https://co.beaufort.nc.us/departments/human-services/public-health/2019-coronavirus-covid-19/beaufort-county-resources/business-employer-guidance

    Phase II (Could begin between May 23, 2020 and May 31, 2020, and continue through June 20, 2020 — July 11, 2020)

    Lift the Stay-at-Home order. Restaurants, Bars, Fitness Centers, Personal Care Services must follow safety protocols including the potential need to reduce capacity

    Houses of Worship & Entertainment Venues at reduced capacity.

    Increase number of people allowed at gatherings

    Recommend face coverings in public spaces when 6 ft of distancing isn't possible.

    Phase III (Could begin June 21, 2020 and July 12, 2020.)

    Increased capacity at Restaurants, Bars, Other Businesses, Houses of Worship & Entertainment Venues.

    Further increase the number of people allowed at gatherings.

    Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Eligibility for Non-Profits and Faith-Based Organizations

    We received some information about a webinar on the PPP loan program. The SBA wants to make sure nonprofits and faith-based programs know about it and have a webinar to explain it tomorrow morning. Here's the basic information if you feel it appropriate to share with your audiences or on your individual social networks. SBA will forgive loans for the PPP if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.

    Attention #smallbusinesses, #nonprofits & #faithbased organizations!

    Funding is still available through the Paycheck Protection Program #PPP. The SBA North Carolina District is sponsoring a webinar on May 7th at 9 am to review eligibility, the application process, loan use, etc.

    To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sba-nc-district-paycheck-protection-program-overview-tickets-102279388404.

    Mitigation Efforts
  • Beaufort County’s EOC is now fully activated to provide support for essential county and municipal functions.
  • Public access will be restricted to Beaufort County Government buildings beginning Tuesday, 3/24. Guidance for conducting business with our various departments can be found using the following link and will also be posted at each county building:
    https://co.beaufort.nc.us/post/421/limited-access-to-county-facilities
  • The City of Washington closed the following city office building to the public until further notice:
    • City Hall
    • Bobby Andrews Recreation Center
    • George H. and Laura E. Brown Library
    • Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center
    • Moore Aquatic and Fitness Center
    • Susiegray McConnell Sports Complex
  • Beaufort County Schools is closed through May 15th. They will serve meals this week, March 30-April 3 per our normal schedule posted below. We will serve them April 6-9 (but NOT on the 10th). We will serve them April 13-17 (this is Spring Break but we will still serve meals those days) and then each week, Mon-Friday after Spring Break as normal.
  • The locations for these student meals are:
    • Cornerstone Family Worship Center1918 West 5th Street, WashingtonContact: Tiana PayneChurch Ph: 252-946-6109
    • Temple of Joy96 Hill Road Chocowinity NCContact: Apostle Georgette RedmondChurch Ph: 252-975-6580Cell: 917-7223
    • Ware Creek Baptist Church2302 Maules Point Road, Blunts CreekContact: Bishop Charles SmithCell: 252-622-1924Bishop Charles Tyson, Pastor
    • Fresh Anointing Church of God820 Hwy 33 East, Aurora NCCell: 252-364-7493
    • River Road Estates
    • Northeast Elementary School
    • Eastern Elementary School
    • John Cotton Tayloe Elementary School
    • Chocowinity Primary School
    • SW Snowden Elementary School
    • Belhaven Civic Center parking lot
    • Salvation Army parking lot in Washington
    • Washington Police Substation at 9th street
  • Any child can have a breakfast and lunch.
  • This lunch will be served in a “drive-thru” setting so no one has to leave their car or enter the school building. Parents and family members may pick up these meals for their students whether or not the students are with them. We will just need the names of the students receiving the meals. Any student of any school can pick up a meal at any site.
  • Families who need help finding meals for their children ages 18 and younger can text “FOODNC” to “877-877”.
  • The Governor’s Office has extended the following orders through May 8th. Additional details pertaining to this extension and subsequent plans to lifts these restrictions will be provided in tomorrow’s update.
    • EO 138: Effective 5 p.m. May 8, 2020, eases some restrictions on travel, business operations and mass gatherings.
    • EO 135: Extends until May 8, North Carolina’s Stay At Home (Executive Order 121) as well as other orders regarding the closures of restaurants for dine-in service, bars and other close-contact businesses
    • EO 134: Allows furloughed employees to be eligible for unemployment benefits.
    • EO 133: Extends certain provisions in previous executive orders that are related to transportation.
    • EO 131: Addresses three issues: requires retail stores that are still operating to implement new social distancing policies to make shopping safer for customers and employees; makes earlier COVID-19 guidelines mandatory for nursing facilities, and recommends other long-term care facilities to do the same; speeds up the process to get benefits to people out of work.
    • EO 130: Provides more access to health care beds, expands the pool of health care workers and orders essential childcare services for workers responding to the crisis.
    • EO 124: Prohibits utilities – including electric, gas, water and wastewater services from disconnecting people who are unable to pay during this pandemic and prohibits them from collecting fees, penalties or interest for late payment. The order applies for the next 60 days and gives residential customers at least six months to pay outstanding bills.
    • EO 121: A statewide “Stay at Home” order will become effective at 5pm today. This order will restrict travel to essential activities only. (i.e. Travel for items such as, groceries, food, medications, household supplies, essential workers, etc.) This order will also limit gatherings to less than 10 people.
    • EO 120: Extended school closures through May 15th. This order also imposes the following restrictions on businesses:
      • Bingo Parlors, including Bingo sites operate by charitable organizations
      • Bowling Alleys
      • Indoor Exercise Facilities (e.g. gyms, yoga studios, martial arts facilities, indoor trampoline and rock climbing facilities)
      • Health Clubs
      • Indoor/Outdoor Pools
      • Live Performance Venues
      • Movie Theaters
      • Skating Rinks
      • Spas
      • Gaming and businesses which allow gaming activities
    • EO 119: Lifting restrictions on local Health Departments, child care facilities, and commerce transport. This order also restricting various functions of DMV to include:
      • Driver’s License Office will operate by appointment only.
      • Closing of all Drivers License Office that are on insufficient size to maintain social distancing.
      • Extending office hours at locations that are of sufficient size.
      • Postpone all DMV related hearings for 60 days.
    • EO 118: Restricting dine-in services at all restaurants / bars. These businesses will continue to be allowed to provide carry-out and delivery services.
    Testing
  • There have been 452 tests completed in Beaufort County to date, with 426 negatives, 22 positives and 4 pending. (These are cumulative numbers and includes test performed at the Health Department and reporting private medical facilities throughout our county.) *Three of our positive cases were tested in other counties but are Beaufort Co. residents.*
    Free Wi-Fi Locations

    Please see the message below from Wilkes Communications / Riverstreet Networks:

    Wilkes Communications/ Riverstreet Networks Installs Free Wi-Fi Hotspots to the Community

    Wilkesboro, NC — Wilkes Communications/Riverstreet Networks is committed to the well-being of our customers, our employees, and our community. As we continue to actively monitor developments related to coronavirus (COVID-19) we want to assure you that we are taking all necessary health and safety precautions in accordance with the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and local and state health officials for our customers, employees and the community.

    We are dedicated to serving our valued customers and ensuring they maintain reliable access to the online resources and information they want and need. To ease the strain in this challenging time, we have opened several Wi-Fi hotspots in the communities we serve. We currently have over 100 free Wi-Fi hotspots at 70 locations in North Carolina and Virginia. This will enable students and employees who may not have internet access to be able to complete coursework and work remotely. This free service can be accessed from the safety of your vehicle. Please visit wilkes.net or myriverstreet.net for a listing of our hotspot locations.

    Wilkes Communications/RiverStreet Networks would like to thank the businesses for allowing us to install this equipment on their premises. This partnership illustrates how much they care about their community and its well-being. Our network and communications services are crucial to the people we serve in not only keeping them informed but allowing the social distancing required to slow down the spread of the virus through the population.

    Our communities, our country, and our world are resilient places. Together, we’ll see our way through this situation and be stronger because of it. Thank you for helping us all stay healthy.

    Free Wi-Fi access can be found at the following locations within Beaufort County:

  • Pantego Community Fire Department | 25673 US 264 Hwy E, Pantego NC 27860
  • Pinetown Volunteer Fire Department | 7262 N Boyd Rd, Pinetown NC 27865
  • Pungo Christian Academy | 983 West Main Street, Belhaven NC 27810
  • Northeast Elementary School | 21000 US-264 Pinetown, NC 27865
  • Bath Elementary School (Behind Cafeteria) | 110 King St, Bath, NC 27808
  • St. Clairs Church | 9814 NC 99, Bath, NC 27808
  • Alligood Church of God | 1891 Mill Hole Rd, Washington, NC 27889
  • Union Grove Church of Christ | 6889 NC-99, Pantego, NC 27860
  • Life Gate Free Will Baptist Church | 52 Old Pamlico Beach Rd, Belhaven, NC 27810
  • Pungo Fire Department | 40 Pike Rd, Pantego NC 27860
  • Everett’s Crossroads Church of Christ | 48 South White Post Rd, Pinetown, NC
  • Terra Ceia Christian School | 4428 Christian School Rd, Pantego

    Please refer to the following link for a complete list of Wi-Fi locations in NC and VA:

    See a List of FREE Community WI-FI Locations — NC and VA by Clicking HERE

    Resources
    We have created a resource page that can accessed at:
    https://co.beaufort.nc.us/departments/human-services/public-health/2019-coronavirus-covid-19

    This resource page contains guidance for businesses, long term care facilities, families, and more.

    We are here to offer support and answer any questions or concerns. We are encouraging all community partners to share accurate information and promote it within your businesses, communities, and elsewhere. Beaufort County's website and Facebook page are great ways to stay up to date on accurate information.


  • Chris Newkirk
  • Deputy Director
  • Beaufort County Emergency Services
  • 1420 Highland Dr
  • Washington, N.C. 27889
  • Office: (252) 940-6511
  • Cell: (252) 378-5352
  • Chris.Newkirk@co.beaufort.nc.us

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