Daily COVID-19 and Weather Briefing for Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020

OUTLOOK

A strong storm system with abundant moisture will bring a threat of severe weather and flooding to our area beginning later today and lasting into Monday morning. Dry and cooler weather will return Monday night following a cold front. A wave of low pressure moving along that front will bring a chance of precipitation back to the area late Tuesday and early Wednesday.

Chalk Hill Fire

Burningtown-Iotla and Franklin VFDs, along with the NC Forest Service and US Forest Service, responded to a report of a loose fire in Carson Cove yesterday afternoon shortly after 5pm. Quick action by firefighters and the use of state and federal firefighting helicopters stopped the fire from consuming several homes and a lot of acreage. Macon Media covered the response on Facebook, and members of the community contributed photos, video, and prayers for the firefighters and homeowners. The post is embedded below.






BURN BAN

A ban on open burning in the 32 western counties of North Carolina is in effect until further notice. [LINK]



GENERAL FORECAST THROUGH TUESDAY

Today

Rain likely this morning, then showers this afternoon. Highs in the upper 50s to the lower 60s. Winds out of the south 10 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph this afternoon. Chance of rain 100 percent.

Tonight

Showers. A chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then thunderstorms after midnight. Patchy fog. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Windy. Near steady temperatures around 60. Winds out of the south 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Monday

Patchy fog in the morning. Partly sunny with showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the morning, then sunny in the afternoon. Locally heavy rainfall possible in the morning. Breezy with highs in the lower to the upper 60s. Winds out of the west 15 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 45 mph, decreasing to 30 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 100 percent oin the morning, decreasing until early afternoon to zero.

Monday Night

Mostly clear. Lows around the lower 40s. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Highs in the 60s. Winds out of the northeast around 5 mph in the morning shifting to come out of the southwest in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night

Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers after midnight. Lows ranging from the upper 30s to the lower 40s. Chance of rain 50 percent.


HAZARDS

A strong storm system will move across the county this weekend. Periods of moderate to heavy rain are expected today as a warm front moves over the region ahead of this system. Thunderstorms producing severe weather then will be possible late tonight into early Monday as low pressure moves by to our north. Damaging winds would be the main threat, but large hail and a few tornadoes could result. Minor flooding may also develop during this time. Stay tuned to your favorite sources of breaking weather news.

BURN BAN

A ban on open burning in the 32 western counties of North Carolina is in effect until further notice. [LINK]




COVID-19 Update



The CDC website [LINK] reports 3,651 people in North Carolina are infected and that the infections are widespread, the NCDHHS website [LINK] reports 4,312 confirmed cases, 362 hospitalized and 80 deaths in the state. The Johns Hopkins Dashboard [LINK] reports 4,401 people infected and 89 deaths (these include non-residents located in NC).

Resources for Reliable Information about the Corona Virus (COVID-19) [LINK]

A copy of a press release has been added below to address the new restrictions that will come into effect Monday afternoon at 5pm. Most local retailers have already enacted these restrictions in anticipation of the new guidelines.


PRESS RELEASE
Governor Roy Cooper
Raleigh
Apr 9, 2020
(minor grammatical corrections added by Macon MEdia)


Governor Roy Cooper took action to address the spread of COVID-19 by issuing stronger social distancing requirements and speeding up the process to get benefits to people out of work through Executive Order No. 131.

Three key areas are addressed in Executive Order 131. The first requires retail stores that are still operating to implement new social distancing policies to make shopping safer for customers and employees. The second makes earlier COVID-19 guidelines mandatory for nursing facilities and recommends other long-term care facilities to do the same. The third area is unemployment benefits, issuing changes that will speed up certain benefit payments to those who are out of work.

“North Carolina continues to take strong action to slow the spread of COVID-19, and today’s Order will help make stores safer, protect those living and working in nursing homes, and get more unemployment benefits out quicker. Our state is resilient, and we will get through this crisis together if we all do our part,” said Governor Cooper.

POLICIES FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING IN RETAIL STORES

This Order offers clear requirements that essential businesses must implement in order to safeguard the health of customers and employees. Some of the directives include:

Setting limits of how many people can be in a store at one time, 5 people per 1,000 square feet of retail space or 20% of fire marshal posted occupancy limits
Marking 6 feet of distance for areas where people gather like checkout lines
Requiring specific cleaning measures for retail stores

The Order encourages:

•Implementing hygiene recommendations for employees and customers, like hand sanitizer at the doors and face coverings for workers
•Establishing designated shopping times designated for high-risk groups
•Creating barriers between customers and employees at checkout to lower the risk of required interactions
•Creating barriers between customers and employees at checkout to lower the risk of required interactions

The Order states these requirements will last for thirty days unless extended by further executive action.



LOWERING RISK IN LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES

The Order sets public health and safety requirements for nursing homes during the public health emergency. The Order encourages other long-term care facilities to follow the same guidelines. Some of the directives include:

•Canceling communal activities, including group meals
•Taking the temperature of employees and essential personnel when they enter the facility
•Requiring specific personal protective equipment in the facility
•Requiring close monitoring of residents for COVID-19 health indicators like body temperature
•The Order states these requirements will last until this order is repealed.



STREAMLINING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS

The Order makes it easier for employers to file a batch of claims, called an attached claim, on behalf of their employees. By temporarily eliminating some of the hurdles for employers, benefits can get in the hands of those who need them faster.

The Order will extend 60 days beyond the date the state of emergency is lifted to allow employers to get back on their feet.


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Published at 5:00am on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020