North Carolina Coronavirus Updates — September 23, 2020 | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:


    Governor Roy Cooper announced the N.C. Mortgage, Utility and Rent Relief (MURR) program to offer financial aid to North Carolina's small businesses whose operations were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The $40 million relief fund can be used for fixed costs such as rent, mortgage, and utility bills.

    "Small businesses are the backbone of our economy — powering our local communities and giving back in so many ways. They deserve our support, and this new initiative can help them weather this tough time," said Governor Cooper.

    Applicants should be able to apply for funds through the program beginning next week. The Department of Commerce will provide free educational webinars for businesses that think they may be eligible for the funds. For the webinar schedule and additional information on the program, visit www.nccommerce.com/murr

    For more information on qualifications for program eligibility read the Press Release.

    Information is changing rapidly, this update is current as of August 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.

    Today, Governor Cooper and NC DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen announced that large outdoor entertainment venues seating over 10,000 people may open at 7% capacity starting October 2. To open, qualifying venues must follow key safety precautions.

    "Because of our continued stability to date, we plan to take another step toward Phase 3 if our progress holds," said Governor Cooper.

    Read the Press Release to learn more about what venues may be eligible and safety requirements expected to comply with the new rules affecting large outdoor venues.

    For an up-to-date list of events, visit the Community Testing Events page. People who may not currently have symptoms but may have been exposed to COVID-19 should get tested, especially people from historically marginalized communities.

    If someone tests positive for COVID-19, the COVID-19 Community Team will reach out to connect them with needed resources. People should answer when the Community Team reaches out, via phone, text from 45394, or email from NC-ARIAS-NoReply@dhhs.nc.gov with further instructions.

    Find a nearby testing site Find My Testing Place.

    For more information visit the NCDHHS FAQs about Testing and FAQs about Contact Tracing.

    Completing the census will help us count the number of people in our state, which is how the federal government divides tax dollars to states and communities. As of July, more than 40% of North Carolinians, over 4 million people, had not been counted, which could mean a loss of $7.4 billion dollars per year for North Carolina for health care, education, highways, and community and economic development is at risk.

    An incomplete count puts representation in Congress and and federal funding our state needs in jeopardy.

    The count is lagging behind in Eastern North Carolina where many of our military families live and where so many have been hit hard by recent storms. Encourage your friends, family, and neighbors to participate in the count. Census workers will begin knocking on doors on August 11th to ensure we all are counted.

    You can complete the 2020 Census safely at home online at my2020census.gov and by phone (844–330–2020 in English, 844–468–2020 in Spanish), or submit by mail.

    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.

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services launched the SlowCOVIDNC Exposure Notification app this week to notify people if they come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus. The app is available for both Apple and Android users and allows people to anonymously report if they have received a positive result so people around them know they should get tested.

    "This new app gives us another tool to slow the spread of this virus. If we keep up our commitment we can drive our numbers down even more and put our state in a position to come out of this pandemic even stronger," said Governor Cooper.

    The SlowCOVIDNC app protects users' privacy while empowering you to protect yourself, your family, and your community. No location data or personally identifiable data is collected or stored in the app.

    For more information on how to download the app, visit the NC DHHS Website or visit your app store.

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— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) September 19, 2020