Chatham County

Shows a large indoor arena fulled with people. If the RNC comes to Charlotte, this venue could be filled with about 19,000 Republicans, possibly putting them at risk for COVID.

Coronavirus Today – June 2 – GOP convention and NC demands; Cooper shares Bible story for Trump; COVID graph day

June 2, 2020 by Editor Leave a Comment

Coronavirus Today – June 2 – GOP convention and NC demands; Cooper shares Bible story for Trump; COVID graph day - North Carolina Health News

Gov. Roy Cooper and President Donald Trump have different ideas for staging a GOP National Convention in Charlotte.

By North Carolina Health News staff Cooper, Trump and the RNC Convention Gov. Roy Cooper was on the phone with President Donald Trump on Friday evening, having a back and forth about the president’s demands for a no-holds-barred Republican National Convention in Charlotte this summer, despite COVID-19. North Carolina public health officials report they’ve been […]

A small storefront has become a Latino grocery store called Tienda Centro reads the sign. Siler City has one of the highest rates of COVID infection in North Carolina

Latinos, the coronavirus and a single ZIP code

May 29, 2020 by Greg Barnes 3 Comments

Latinos, the coronavirus and a single ZIP code - North Carolina Health News

The 27344 ZIP code, which includes Siler City and Mountaire Farms, has become a hotspot for the coronavirus in North Carolina. Latinos who live in the ZIP code are suffering greatly, but nonprofit organizations can only do so much.

By Greg Barnes and Victoria Bouloubasis This story is being co-published with Enlace Latino NC. Read it here in Spanish. Maricela Martinez still remembers getting her first paycheck from a chicken processing plant in Siler City — $280 for a week’s worth of work back in 1999. “It made me cry,” Martinez said. “This was […]

we look through a chain link fence into an industrial complex / poultry plantwhere multiple workers have tested positive for COVID-19

As COVID races through Mountaire Farms poultry plant, workers deemed vital feel dispensable

May 28, 2020 by Victoria Bouloubasis Leave a Comment

As COVID races through Mountaire Farms poultry plant, workers deemed vital feel dispensable - North Carolina Health News

Mountaire criticized for moving too slowly to protect workers who weren’t aware of coronavirus cases in workplace.

By Victoria Bouloubasis and Greg Barnes This story is being co-published with Enlace Latino NC. Read it here in Spanish. On a rapidly moving production line at Mountaire Farms in Siler City, Ana uses a sharp knife to slice the wings off a chicken in less than two seconds, making sure they land into a […]

shows a facemask used to prevent COVID 19 transmission. It's blue with an outline of the state of North Carolina with the flag colors inside the outline

Coronavirus Today – May 19 – Heated Lincoln County debate; nod to older North Carolinians; Avery County gets first COVID case

May 19, 2020 by Editor 1 Comment

Coronavirus Today – May 19 – Heated Lincoln County debate; nod to older North Carolinians; Avery County gets first COVID case - North Carolina Health News

Pressures mount to reopen restaurants, salons and churches as governor contemplates moving to the next phase.

By North Carolina Health News staff Defiance in Lincoln County A Lincoln County restaurant owner who also is a member of the county board of commissioners opened his restaurant in Vale on Monday in defiance of the governor’s statewide stay-at-home order. Carrol Dean Mitchem was cited by Sheriff Bill Beam for violating Gov. Roy Cooper’s […]

A group of Camp Hope campers prepare to set sail for the first time.

Coronavirus Today – May 15 – COVID testing guidance; too few Dare County test sites; camp guidance; rough surf warning

May 15, 2020 by Editor Leave a Comment

Coronavirus Today – May 15 – COVID testing guidance; too few Dare County test sites; camp guidance; rough surf warning - North Carolina Health News

Testing, testing, testing. Getting access to the necessary COVID-19 tests has been a problem for Dare County and elsewhere in northeastern NC.

By North Carolina Health News staff Big testing-site gap in northeastern NC After the state Department of Health and Human Services compiled a list of sites across the state where people can get tested for COVID-19, there was a glaring gap in Dare County and much of northeastern North Carolina. “The northeast part of our […]

Shows a yellow basket with plastic bags containing tubes containing COVID-19 tests

Coronavirus Today – May 14 – Churches sue state; prison staff testing plan; need a test, find a site

May 14, 2020 by Editor Leave a Comment

Coronavirus Today – May 14 – Churches sue state; prison staff testing plan; need a test, find a site - North Carolina Health News

Nearly a week into this phase of the modified stay-at-home order, no spikes or deep drop-off in COVID-19 have appeared.

By North Carolina Health News staff Churches argue state violating their rights Gov. Roy Cooper said during a media briefing on Thursday that he had not seen a lawsuit filed in federal court challenging his modified stay-at-home order that calls for houses of worship to hold outside services with social distancing measures against COVID-19 unless […]

shows three politicians who are usually at odds on the same dias, they're there in order to sign bills to provide COVID relief

Coronavirus Today – May 12 – Pandemic politics; NC manufacturers help; mental health awareness

May 12, 2020 by Editor

Coronavirus Today – May 12 – Pandemic politics; NC manufacturers help; mental health awareness - North Carolina Health News

Political divides are emerging again during the pandemic slightly more than a week after Republicans and Democrats reached consensus on a relief package.

By North Carolina Health News staff ‘Pandemics cannot be partisan’ Eight days have passed since Republican leaders at the helm of the General Assembly stood side-by-side with Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, to show that the two parties could come together in consensus to support a $1.5 billion pandemic relief package. The harmony was short-lived. […]

shows trend lines for COVID-like illnesses in the emergency departments higher than in prior years, but decreasing overall

Coronavirus Today – May 5 – Cooper eases restrictions as of Friday, reporting on nursing home, meat processor outbreaks

May 5, 2020 by Editor

Coronavirus Today – May 5 – Cooper eases restrictions as of Friday, reporting on nursing home, meat processor outbreaks - North Carolina Health News

Gov. Roy Cooper signs an order to slightly ease social distancing restrictions beginning Friday, as he asks people to "wear, wait and wash."

By North Carolina Health News staff Wear, wait and wash in next phase North Carolinians could have a few more places to leave home for after 5 p.m. Friday, when a modified statewide stay-at-home order signed by Gov. Roy Cooper takes effect. Cooper announced plans to move the state into the first phase of easing […]

The Smithfield Food's hog-processing plant in Tar Heel appeared to be operating as usual on Tuesday, April 28, 2019. Photo credit Greg Barnes

Smithfield’s largest slaughterhouse struggling to contain virus

May 1, 2020 by Greg Barnes

Smithfield’s largest slaughterhouse struggling to contain virus - North Carolina Health News

No one will say how many workers at Smithfield’s Tar Heel plant have the coronavirus, but the plant has reduced employees’ hours in what they say is an effort to better protect them.

By Greg Barnes Early Monday, Lumberton lawyer Dale Godfrey said he got word from workers at Smithfield Foods’ Tar Heel plant that the world’s largest hog slaughterhouse might have to close because of an outbreak of the coronavirus. Godfrey said those reports were bolstered by a plant worker who sent him a picture of a […]

people in nursing homes smile because they're getting better food under a grant-funded program

NC health officials want testing of all residents, staff of nursing homes with COVID-19

April 27, 2020 by Thomas Goldsmith

NC health officials want testing of all residents, staff of nursing homes with COVID-19 - North Carolina Health News

If some nursing home residents or staff have COVID-19, but don’t show it, they can still transmit the virus to others in their facility. That’s one reason North Carolina health officials are encouraging facilities to have all residents and staff tested when COVID-19 appears.

By Thomas Goldsmith State health officials say North Carolina nursing homes that have had COVID outbreaks should test all residents and staff, including people who aren’t showing signs of the disease. Some government officials, doctors and academics are strongly recommending universal testing for COVID-19 in every long-term care facility. That advice accompanies the increasing realization […]

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