Beaufort County Emergency Management: COVID-19 Update (9-1-20) | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

9/1/2020 Beaufort County, NC COVID-19 SITREP Updates from our previous posting have been highlighted.
The following information is as of 4:30pm.
    Case Statistics

• NC has had a total 167,309 confirmed cases, with 2,702 deaths. Our state currently has 18,723 active cases and 923 hospitalizations.
  • Beaufort County has had a total of 681 cases, with 162 currently active, 6 of which are currently hospitalized.
• All active cases are self-isolating.
• Eastern NC counties with total confirmed cases include: Bertie, (435), Beaufort (681), Bladen (716), Brunswick (1,389), Carteret (500), Camden (97), Chowan (220), Columbus (1,102), Craven (971), Currituck (107), Dare (243), Duplin (2,083), Edgecombe (955), Gates (84), Greene (414), Halifax (862), Hertford (549), Hyde (96), Jones (136), Lenoir (797), Martin (347), New Hanover (3,031), Northampton (338), Onslow (1,474), Pamlico (155), Pasquotank (548), Pender (768), Perquimans (138), Pitt (3,529) Sampson (1,609), Tyrrell (107), Washington (177), Wayne (2,820) and Wilson (1,733). Mecklenburg (25,345), Wake (14,967), and Durham (6,908) counties have the most cases.

    Testing

• There have been 7,485 tests completed in Beaufort County to date, with 6,603 negatives, 655 positives and 227 pending. (These are cumulative numbers and includes test performed at the Health Department and reporting private medical facilities throughout our county.) *Nine (9) of our positive cases were tested in other counties but are Beaufort Co. residents.*
• There were 1,824 tests completed by reporting agencies in Beaufort County last week. 105 of these tests were found to be positive. (5.8% positivity rate.)

    Beaufort County Schools — School Openings Announcement     Beaufort County Schools will be starting the 2020-2021 school year on a modified Plan B format for all schools except the BCS Early College High School. Parents and students of ECHS will be contacted directly about their schedule of instruction.

    The modified Plan B consists of four weeks of remote instruction for all other students beginning August 17th through September 11th.

    Presumably students will then be partially attending schools each week along with continued remote instruction outside the school building. Parents and students will be informed when students attend onsite and when they continue remote instruction. More specific details will be released soon concerning these assignments. Here is an example of the weekly schedule:

• Group A Students: Monday – Tuesday in school instruction / Wednesday – Thursday – Friday remote learning
• Group B Students: Monday – Tuesday – Wednesday remote learning / Thursday – Friday in school instruction

    There will be additional information communicated soon regarding the Open House, learning protocols, device pickup, and learning expectations for each school. Please monitor the website and/or social media account of your child's school.

    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 II (Will begin at 5pm Friday, 5/22 and continue through 5pm Friday 9/11))

    Governor Cooper has announced that North Carolina's Phase II "Safer at Home" order has been extended for 5 additional weeks (thru 9/11).

    Restaurants and Personal Care Services must follow safety protocols including the potential need to reduce capacity. (Bar & Fitness Centers will remain closed under Executive Order 141)

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

    Additional information about Phase II can be found using the following link:     https://co.beaufort.nc.us/departments/human-services/public-health/2019-coronavirus-covid-19/phase-two-resources

    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

    The Governor and the N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association also introduced Count on Me NC, a free online training program to help restaurants, hotels, and other businesses learn the best ways to protect customers and employees from COVID-19, which can be found at: https://countonmenc.org/

    Phase III (Could begin Aug 7th, 2020)

• Increased capacity at Restaurants, Bars, Other Businesses, Houses of Worship & Entertainment Venues.
• Further increase the number of people allowed at gatherings.