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See original post: Rocky Mount Telegram
Filed under: Nash County Department Heads, Nash County NC | Tagged: Nash County Department Heads, Nash County NC | Leave a comment »
by Molly Walker, Associate Editor, MedPage Today April 6, 2020
A small study from South Korea cast doubt on the ability of surgical or cotton face masks to effectively prevent dissemination of COVID-19 coronavirus from the coughs of infected patients.
Median viral loads did not differ significantly when comparing coughing samples of COVID-19 patients without a mask, with a surgical mask, and with a cloth mask, suggesting these masks were ineffective at filtering SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, reported Sung-Han Kim, MD, of University of Ulsan College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues.
In a letter published in Annals of Internal Medicine, they cited the size of viral particles as a possible reason for masks’ poor ability to filter the virus, despite their effectiveness against other respiratory infections. In particular, prior studies found surgical masks, as well as N95 respirators (Read more)
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RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Gov. Roy Cooper announced that North Carolina will enter Phase One of the state’s three-part plan to “reignite” its economy, allowing most stores and parks to open but keep businesses like bars and salons closed.
In a news conference Tuesday, Cooper said his new Executive Order will officially enact Phase One as of 5 p.m. on Friday, May 8.
The revised stay-at-home order will allow retail stores that were previously designated as “nonessential”–including clothing, sporting goods and houseware stores–to welcome customers for the first time since March. The businesses, however, must screen their employees for symptoms, ensure capacity never exceeds 50 percent of the building’s total fire capacity, maintain social distancing among shoppers, and conduct routine maintenance and sanitation.
While Tuesday’s announcement might be positive news for many North Carolinians, several key areas of the economy will remain off limits, including bars, movie theaters, bowling alleys, concert halls, salons, barbershops, gyms, and swim clubs.
Restaurants, meanwhile, will still be limited to take out and delivery service only.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, North Carolina’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, encouraged all North Carolinians to wear face coverings in public, though there will be no statutory requirement. Some counties, including Durham County, do require face coverings while in public spaces.
Cohen emphasized mask-wearing as part of the “three Ws”: wear masks, wash hands and wait in line six feet apart.
In addition, North Carolinians still may not gather in groups of 10 or more people, and visitation restrictions will remain in place for nursing homes and correctional facilities.
According to Cooper, Phase One could end and transition into Phase Two as early as May 22, if North Carolina continues to see a sustained leveling or decrease in the number of new cases each day and number of hospitalizations, a decrease in the percentage of total positive tests, and a decrease in the number of emergency room visits for COVID-like symptoms. If not, the order could be extended.
North Carolina’s original Stay-at-Home order went into effect on March 30, with an original expiration date of April 29. The Governor, however, extended that order through May 8.
Here are more details about the three-phase plan to reopen the state’s economy:
PHASE 1: revised stay-at-home order
PHASE 2: about 2-3 weeks after Phase 1
PHASE 3: about 4-6 weeks after Phase 2
See source: 11abc News
Filed under: Coronavirus, Governor Roy Cooper, Governor Roy Cooper 2020, Governor Roy Cooper Executive Order 121 | Tagged: Coronavirus, Governor Roy Cooper, Governor Roy Cooper 2020, Governor Roy Cooper Executive Order 121 | Leave a comment »