Public Service Announcement: Soap Versus Hand Sanitizer
Outlook
A pattern of mostly cloudy skies and elevated rain chances from time to time, and generally cool temperatures will continue through the early part of the week. This pattern will continue mid to late week, but with temperatures likely warming well above normal.
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Corona Virus Updates for March 16, 2020
Resources for Reliable Information about the Corona Virus (COVID-19) [LINK]
CDC: Manage Stress & Anxiety [LINK]
The CDC advises people to limit gatherings of 50 o more people for the next eight weeks [LINK]
CDC Guidance as of 3/15/2020
Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.
Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.
Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.
This recommendation does not apply to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses. This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce the introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus. This recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.
Governor Cooper Closes Schools, Bans public gathering of 100 o more people [LINK]
White House Task Corona Virus Force Briefing fo March 15th [VIDEO]
Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially and how to "flatten the curve" [LINK]
The Korean clusters: How coronavirus cases exploded in South Korean churches and hospitals [LINK]
Some stores adjust business hours to clean and restock
Walmart [LINK]
Bi-Lo [LINK]
Ingles [LINK]
President Declares National Emergency, March 13th [VIDEO/TRANSCRIPT]
Presidential Address, March 12th [VIDEO/TRANSCRIPT]
Corona Virus (COVID-19) Guidance from NCDHHS
Number of Cases
(The NCDHHS has changed the way they report the numbers, they no longer differentiate between presumptive and confirmed)
| County | Presumptive | Confirmed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watauga | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mecklenburg | 0 | 4 | |
| Cabarrus | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Forsyth | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Chatham | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Durham | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Wake | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| Johnston | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Wayne | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Harnett | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Brunswick | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Onslow | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Craven | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NC TOTALS | 0 | 0 | 32 |
The following section is a repeat from yesterday, but it does bear repeating.
NCDHHS
NC Dept of Health & Human Services
Raleigh
March 12, 2020
As the number of cases of COVID-19 rises in North Carolina and the United States, and with the designation of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, the state is responding with a whole government response. COVID-19 is a new infection that is particularly severe in older persons and those with medical conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, and weakened immune systems.
At this time there are no approved treatments and no vaccine to prevent it. However, there are known methods to reduce and slow the spread of infection. Individuals can practice everyday prevention measures like frequent hand washing, staying home when sick, and covering coughs and sneezes. Community-based interventions can also help slow the spread of COVID-19. This includes measures collectively known as “social distancing.” Social distancing measures aim to reduce the frequency of contact and increase the physical distance between persons, thereby reducing the risks of person-to-person transmission. These measures are most effective when implemented early in an epidemic. We are at a critical inflection point where we may have the opportunity to slow the spread of this epidemic by taking proactive steps now.
NC DHHS is making the following recommendations to reduce the spread of infection while we are still in an early stage in order to protect lives and avoid strain on our health care system. NC DHHS is making these recommendations for the next 30 days and will re-assess at that point.
The following recommendations pertain to persons statewide.
1. SYMPTOMATIC PERSONS
If you need medical care and have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or suspect you might have COVID-19, call ahead and tell your health care provider you have or may have COVID-19. This will allow them to take steps to keep other people from getting exposed. NC DHHS recommends that persons experiencing fever and cough should stay at home and not go out until their symptoms have completely resolved.
2. HIGH RISK PERSONS WITHOUT SYMPTOMS
NC DHHS recommends that people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 should stay at home to the extent possible to decrease the chance of infection.
People at high risk include people:
Over 65 years of age, or
with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, or
with weakened immune systems.
3. CONGREGATE LIVING FACILITIES
NC DHHS recommends that all facilities that serve as residential establishments for high-risk persons described above should restrict visitors. Exceptions should include end of life care or other emergent situations determined by the facility to necessitate a visit. If visitation is allowed, the visitor should be screened and restricted if they have a respiratory illness or potential exposure to COVID-19. Facilities are encouraged to implement social distancing measures and perform temperature and respiratory symptom screening of residents and staff. These establishments include settings such as nursing homes, independent and assisted living facilities, correction facilities, and facilities that care for medically vulnerable children.
4. SCHOOLS
We do not recommend pre-emptive school closure at this time but do recommend that schools and childcare centers cancel or reduce large events and gatherings (e.g., assemblies) and field trips, limit inter-school interactions, and consider distance or e-learning in some settings. Students at high risk should implement individual plans for distance or e-learning. School dismissals may be necessary when staff or student absenteeism impacts the ability to remain open. Short-term closures may also be necessary to facilitate public health investigation and/or cleaning if a case is diagnosed in a student or staff member.
5. WORKPLACE
NC DHHS recommends that employers and employees use teleworking technologies to the greatest extent possible, stagger work schedules, and consider canceling non-essential travel. Workplaces should hold larger meetings virtually, to the extent possible. Additionally, employers should arrange the workspace to optimize the distance between employees, ideally at least six feet apart. Employers should urge high-risk employees to stay home and urge employees to stay home when they are sick and maximize flexibility in sick leave benefits.
6. MASS GATHERINGS, COMMUNITY, AND SOCIAL EVENTS
NC DHHS recommends that organizers of events that draw more than 100 people should cancel, postpone, modify these events or offer online streaming services. These events include large gatherings where people are in close contact (less than 6 feet), for example: concerts, conferences, sporting events, faith-based events and other large gatherings.
7. MASS TRANSIT
Mass transit operators should maximize opportunities for cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces. People should avoid using mass transit (e.g. buses, trains) while sick.
Macon County Public Health Update, March 10th
- Carmine Rocco, Interim Health Director
- Jennifer Garrett, Public Health Nursing Supervisor
Recent Meeting Videos Delayed
Thanks to an assist from the folks at Wired, the video editing computer is back up and videos should be forthcoming. Thanks to everyone who has been patient and thanks to the donor who has made it possible to have a new video editing computer built that will be in service soon.
Public Safety Log
(this section is temporarily deprecated until I get caught up with videos from past meetings.
THREE DAY GFS FORECAST
The maps have been switched from showing the eastern United States to the Western Atlantic Region in anticipation of warmer weather when our weather pattern is more susceptible to being impacted by what happens in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
This animated image shows a forecast of precipitation, air pressure and thickness level (cold-air damming) for three days in six-hour increments.
Green, Yellow, and Red indicate rain. Orange and Purple Indicate Freezing Rain or other freezing precipitation. Blue indicates snow.
The next one shows the forecast for rain in 24hour totals over the next few days.
And this one shows the forecast for surface pressure (in mb) and winds at 10 metes (30 feet) over the same time period.
WEATHER SPONSOR
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Weather Hazards
Hazardous Weather is not expected.
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WEATHER FORECAST MAPS
Forecast maps for 7 am, 1 pm, and 7 pm.
[click on any image in this article to enlarge]
FRANKLIN AREA FORECAST
Today
A 20 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-50s. Light winds out of the southeast.
Tonight
Showers likely, mainly after 2am. Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, cloudy, with lows in the mid-to-upper 40s. Calm winds. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tuesday
Rain likely, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-60s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tuesday Night
A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 50. Calm winds.
Wednesday
A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after 9am. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-60s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night
Showers likely, mainly after 11pm. Cloudy, with lows in the mid-50s. The chance of precipitation is 60%.
OTTO AREA FORECAST
Today
A slight chance of showers before 10am, then a slight chance of showers after noon. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the low-to-mid 50s. Winds out of the southeast 3 to 5 mph. The chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight
Showers likely, mainly after 2am. Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, cloudy, with lows in the mid-to-upper 40s. Calm winds. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tuesday
Rain likely, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-60s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Thechance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tuesday Night
A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 50. Calm winds.
Wednesday
A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the lower 60s.
Wednesday Night
Showers likely, mainly after 10pm. Cloudy, with lows in the mid-50s. The chance of precipitation is 70%.
HIGHLANDS PLATEAU FORECAST
Today
A 20 percent chance of showers. Areas of fog before 3pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with highs in the upper 40s. Winds out of the southeast 3 to 6 mph.
Tonight
Showers likely, mainly after 2am. Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with lows in the lower 40s. Light winds out of the south. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tuesday
Rain likely, mainly before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the upper 50s. Winds out of the west 5 to 10 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tuesday Night
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 40s. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.
Wednesday
A chance of rain before 8am, then a chance of showers after 8am. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-50s. The chance of precipitation is 40%.
Wednesday Night
Showers. Lows around 50. The chance of precipitation is 80%.
NANTAHALA AREA FORECAST
Today
A 20 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with highs in the mid-50s. Light winds out of the southwest.
Tonight
Showers, mainly after midnight. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the mid-to-upper 40s. Light winds out of the southwest. The chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tuesday
Rain likely, mainly before 9am. Cloudy, with highs near 60. Winds out of the west 3 to 5 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tuesday Night
A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 50. Calm winds.
Wednesday
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the lower 60s. Winds out of the southeast 3 to 7 mph.
Wednesday Night
Showers likely, mainly after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-50s. The chance of precipitation is 60%.
Published at 5:00am on Monday, March 16, 2020
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