North Carolina Coronavirus Updates — May 14, 2020 | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:


    North Carolina is working with local manufacturers to shift their production to make critical medical supplies. In March, Governor Roy Cooper established the state's Task Force for Emergency Repurposing of Manufacturing (TFERM) to increase the amount of protective gear made here at home.

    "Our state has a rich history as a leader in manufacturing and innovation, and I'm proud that businesses in our state are leading the way to make this personal protective equipment right here at home," said Cooper.

    TFERM worked with the N.C. Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Carolina Textile District, and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. to identify 300 local companies to help produce critical medical supplies and PPE including face shields, hand sanitizer, cloth masks, gowns and more. Several companies have already filled purchase orders for the state, with more expected in coming weeks.

    If your company can sell or donate PPE or other critical supplies to the state complete the online COVID-19 procurement form to be considered. Companies making COVID-19 supplies not purchased by the state are referred to SupplyConnector.org.

    Read more about NC companies' contributions to PPE in the Press Release.

    Information is changing rapidly, this update is current as of May 14, 2020

    It's important to rely on trusted sources of information about COVID-19. Keep up with the latest information on Coronavirus in North Carolina HERE.

    Text COVIDNC to 898211 to receive general information and updates about COVID-19 and North Carolina's response.

    Dial 2-1-1 provides free, confidential information and is available 24 hours a day to help you find resources within your community. They can connect you with people and groups that can help with questions about access to food, shelter, health care, employment and child care.

    Families who need food assistance for their children can text FOODNC to 877-877 to find free meal sites in their communities.

    Make sure to prioritize your overall wellness and don't hesitate to seek additional help.

    Optum has a toll-free 24-hour Emotional Support Help Line at 866-342-6892 for people who may be experiencing anxiety or stress due to Coronavirus.

    You can track the disease in real time through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' COVID-19 NC Dashboard. It includes detailed information about the state's COVID-19 confirmed cases, hospital capacity and more.

    Testing is critical to safely ease COVID-19 restrictions. North Carolina doubled testing efforts to 5,000-7,000 tests per day ahead of entering phase one on Friday, but more testing is still needed

    "Testing goes hand in hand with tracing. When someone comes up positive, our enhanced tracing workforce will find known contacts so those people can be tested," said Cooper. "Successful tracing builds on itself and obviously requires many more tests to be performed."

    Retail partners like Walgreen's, Walmart and Harris Teeter have started opening testing sites. This week, NC DHHS will begin publishing a list of available testing sites. More information about those sites will be shared this week.

    Governor Cooper declared May "Mental Health Awareness Month" to acknowledge the stigma tied to mental illness and encourage people to get health care for mental health issues as they would for any other health condition. This is especially important as North Carolinians have made adjustments to slow the spread of COVID-19 that may leave some feeling isolated.

    1 in 5 adults struggles with mental health challenges in a given year. Take some to check in with your loved ones, especially those who are alone during this time, and spend time outside if you can do so safely."

    If you need to talk to someone or need help, please call Hope 4 NC at 1-855-587-3463 or visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov/hope.

    Read the Proclamation.

    Many North Carolinians have recently lost health insurance benefits due to the economic effects of COVID-19. If you are in need of health insurance, NCDHHS has created a healthcare option list to help you find options that may work for you and your family. If you recently lost your employer-based insurance, you may qualify for special enrollment programs, and should check your status at healthcare.gov.

    North Carolina is recruiting volunteers and companies to supplement our health care workforce. Hundreds of people have already signed up to help, and we need more. This includes clinical providers such as doctors and nurses, clinical support such as pharmacy and imaging and respiratory care, and facility maintenance and administrative support. If you fit into one of these categories, go to ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus to learn more about how you can help. Health care professionals can also go to terms.ncem.org/TRS/.

    During this time it is imperative that everyone is informed about what is going on in our state. Governor Cooper's administration has been working to get information and resources translated for the Spanish speaking population in our state. Many of the Governor's press conferences, press releases, and executive orders are available in Spanish. Resources are also available in Spanish on the DHHS website.

North Carolina has been granted a federal disaster declaration for storms, tornadoes and flooding that hit the state in February. This declaration will help 18 counties that suffered damages continue to recover and make repairs.https://t.co/KUY6h6hTru

— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 11, 2020