• Yesterday, Governor Cooper announced that as a result of COVID-19 metrics trending in the wrong direction in North Carolina, the state will remain in Phase Two of its phased reopening for three additional weeks, until Friday, July 17^th.  Specifically, these metrics include:
• Trajectory in COVID-Like Illness (CLI) Surveillance Over 14 Days 
• North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is increasing.
• Trajectory of Lab-Confirmed Cases Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s trajectory of lab-confirmed cases starting to level, but is still increasing.
• Trajectory in Percent of Tests Returning Positive Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s trajectory in percent of tests returning positive remains elevated. 
• Trajectory in Hospitalizations Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s trajectory of hospitalizations is increasing, though there is capacity in our healthcare system.

• As a reminder, you can view what Phase 2 means here. Here is specific public health guidance for Phase 2, including guidance for places of worship and religious services.

• The Governor also announced a statewide face covering requirement, which requires individuals to wear a cloth covering their nose and mouth when in indoor and outdoor public places, where maintaining social distancing from people who are not in their household is impossible. Employees and customers of retail businesses and restaurants, as well as workers in the manufacturing, construction, meat processing and agriculture industries, must wear face coverings in those places. Here are some additional resources:
• Here is the Governor’s Executive Order implementing the announcements.
• Here is a frequently asked questions document with details about the face covering requirement.
• Businesses can also download templates for face covering requirement signs here.

• North Carolina has also updated its COVID-19 Dashboard with more county-specific information on cases and deaths, as well as trends and demographic information. It also now includes information on clusters of positive COVID cases in schools and child care facilities.

• The USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program continues to provide critical aid to our agricultural producers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. So far, the Farm Services Administration has made more than $4 billion in payments to more than 252,000 producers nationwide.  Here in North Carolina, more than $34.5 million in payments have gone to support our producers and farm families. While more aid will no doubt be needed, I’m pleased to see the USDA getting support into the hands of producers.

• The CDC continues to update its website with the latest information on COVID-19 and how we can best go about our daily lives while protecting ourselves and loved ones from the virus. Here is its latest guidance regarding the handling of food, food packaging and drinking water. The risk of getting COVID-19 from food you cook or are served at restaurants, or from food packaging or bags, is thought to be very low. And while some who have worked in food or meat processing facilities have contracted the virus, there is no indication the virus has spread to consumers through the food or packaging that these workers may have handled.

• CommWell Health is hosting a series of upcoming free drive-thru COVID-19 testing events in several NC-7 counties. Here is a schedule of the events in our area:
• June 30: 10 am - 3pm: St. Amanda Baptist Church - 457 Old Drug Store Rd., Garner, NC 27529 
• July 2: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm: CommWell Health Shallotte - 341 Whiteville Rd., NW, Shallotte, NC 28470
• July 7: 9am - 3pm: Benson Middle School - 1600 N. Wall St., Benson, NC 27504
• July 21: 9 am - 12 pm: Bryant Swamp Missionary Baptist Church - 61 Bryant Swamp Rd., Bladenboro, NC 28320
• For more information, click here or call the CommWell Health COVID-19 helpline: 910-567-7114