Macon County Public Health and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health Conducting Tuberculosis (TB) Investigation

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Additional Information has been posted after the press release.

PRESS RELEASE (08-06-2025)

MACON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH

Macon County Public Health Conducting TB Investigation in Macon County

Franklin, N.C. – Macon County Public Health (MCPH), in coordination with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health, is conducting a thorough investigation following a confirmed case of tuberculosis (TB) involving an individual who spent time in Macon County during their infectious period.

Upon confirmation of the diagnosis, immediate steps were taken to protect the health and safety of the public, including isolation and treatment of the individual. As part of standard public health protocol, a detailed contact investigation is underway to identify people who may have been exposed to TB.

Anyone identified as a close contact will be notified directly by public health officials and offered TB testing, education, and appropriate follow-up care at no cost, in conjunction with Angel Medical Center.

TB is a serious but treatable disease. Active TB most often affects the lungs and spreads through the air when the individual coughs, speaks, or sings. It is not spread through casual contact such as touching surfaces, shaking hands, or sharing food or drink. At this time, the risk to the general public remains low.

People who are sick with TB often have one or more of the following symptoms:

•  Cough lasting more than 3 weeks

•  Coughing up blood

•  Fever

•  Profuse sweating at night, often soaking the bed sheets

•  Unintentional weight loss

•  Poor appetite

•  Chest pain or discomfort

•  Difficulty breathing

“Our priority is the health and well-being of everyone in Macon County,” said Kathy McGaha, Public Health Director. “We are working carefully to identify and support those who may have been exposed, and we’re committed to keeping the community informed every step of the way. If you have not been contacted directly by the health department, there is no need to seek testing at this time.”

MCPH remains committed to transparency and public health protection. For questions or concerns, please contact MCPH at 828-349-2081. 

**END PRESS RELEASE**

Additional Resources

North Carolina Tuberculosis Policy Manual 

• Signs and Symptoms of Tuberculosis [Centers for Disease Control]

• Tuberculosis Overview [National Library of Medicine]

The Deadliest Infectious Disease of All Time | Crash Course Lecture



What makes tuberculosis (TB) the world's most infectious killer? - Melvin Sanicas | TED-Ed

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USDA APHIS Wildlife Services to Conduct Oral Rabies Vaccination (ORV) Bait Drop in North Carolina

 

PRESS RELEASE (03-19-2025)
MACON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH

March 19, 2025 – The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) Wildlife Services will conduct its annual Oral Rabies Vaccination (ORV) program in North Carolina to help control the spread of rabies in wildlife. The 2025 ORV baiting activities will occur from April 1-20, 2025, across multiple counties, with specific distribution methods based on location. ORV Baiting Schedule and Methods:

• Fixed-Wing Aircraft: Raboral V-RG coated sachets will be distributed in rural areas via aircraft between April 1-20, 2025 in Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, Madison, Macon, Clay, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Transylvania, Jackson, Swain, Graham, Cherokee, and Watauga counties. 

• Helicopter Distribution: Raboral V-RG fishmeal polymer baits will be dropped in urban areas of Asheville, Burnsville, Mars Hill, and Waynesville between April 9-11, 2025. 

• Ground Distribution: Hand baiting via ground vehicles will take place in Asheville city limits from April 3-8, 2025.

These baits contain an oral rabies vaccine designed to immunize raccoons and other wildlife against rabies, helping to reduce the risk of transmission to domestic animals and humans. Important Public Information:

• The vaccine baits are safe for pets and wildlife; however, pet owners should avoid contact with the baits if possible. 

• If a pet eats a bait, there is no cause for concern, but excessive consumption should be avoided. 

• If a bait is found, leave it undisturbed. If necessary, it can be moved to a wooded area using gloves or a plastic bag.

The ORV program is an essential part of rabies control efforts to protect public health and prevent the spread of the disease. Community members with questions, comments, or concerns about the program can contact Jennifer Germain at 828-349-2084.

For more information, please visit maconnc.org.

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News and Weather Briefing for Friday, August 7, 2020

OUTLOOK

Passing upper-level disturbances will help generate showers and thunderstorms again today. A return to more typical isolated to scattered summertime thunderstorm activity is expected over the weekend as modest drying arrives from the west. Deeper moisture will gradually return early next week and support a more active pattern for the rest of the week.

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News Brief

Macon County to Hold Community Testing in Franklin on Thursday, August 13th.

Macon County Emergency Management and Macon County Public Health will be hosting a COVID-19 testing clinic for the community in Franklin on August 13th, 2020. The clinic will be held at Macon Middle School from 8AM to 11AM. Persons may get a COVID-19 test regardless of their ability to pay and do not need to schedule an appointment.

WHAT: COVID-19 Testing Clinic
WHEN: August 13th, 2020, 8AM until 11 AM
WHERE: Macon Middle School at 1345 Wells Grove Road

For those who would like to receive a COVID-19 test, you are asked to fill out your paperwork ahead of time, which is available at the following link: https://bit.ly/MaconCoCOVID. You are also asked to bring your insurance card, if you have insurance. There is no cost for a COVID-19 test, with or without insurance.

Read the COVID-19 Briefing for August 6th. [LINK]





The Starlink 10 Mission successfully launched this morning and deployed 57 Starlink satellites plus two satellites, BlackSky Global 7 and 8, the 5th and 6th BlackSky Global satellites, which were flown as rideshare payloads. All of the Starlink satellites are outfitted with the sunshade visor that was tested on a single satellite on June 4, 2020 launch.

Starlink is a satellite constellation being constructed by SpaceX to provide satellite Internet access. The constellation will consist of thousands of mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit, working in combination with ground transceivers. SpaceX also plans to sell some of the satellites for military, scientific, or exploratory purposes. The SpaceX satellite development facility in Redmond, Washington houses the Starlink research, development, manufacturing, and on-orbit control operations. The total cost of the decade-long project to design, build, and deploy the constellation was estimated by SpaceX in May 2018 to be about US$10 billion. The bulk of the profits of the venture will help fund Elon Musk's plan to colonize Mars.

The Governor has issued Executive Order #155 to keep North Carolina in a Phase II Pandemic Restriction for five more weeks. You can see the news briefing where he made the announcement and read the executive order for yourself in the COVID-19 Update published by Macon Media [LINK] 



General Forecast Through Saturday Night


Today

Patchy fog in the morning. Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly in the mid to late afternoon. Otherwise, partly sunny, with highs ranging from the low-to-mid 70s in the higher elevations and the low-to-mid 80s in the lower elevations. Light and variable winds. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm, then a slight chance of showers between 9pm and midnight. Partly cloudy, with lows in the upper 50s in the higher elevations and the lower 60s in the lower elevations. Calm winds. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with highs ranging from the upper 70s in the higher elevations ti the upper 80s in the lower elevations.

Saturday Night

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with lows in the 60s.

Sunday

A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 5pm. Sunny, with highs ranging from the upper 70s in the higher elevations to the upper 80s in the lower elevations.

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy, with lows in the 60s. A few locations in the higher elevations may dip into the upper 50s.

Hazards

Scattered thunderstorms can be expected, most likely in the afternoon and evening. A few storms will be strong and possibly severe with strong to damaging winds, frequent lightning, and locally heavy rainfall.


Saturday through Thursday...

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms can be expected Saturday and Sunday and scattered to numerous thunderstorms Monday through Thursday. A few storms will be strong to severe with strong to damaging winds, frequent lightning, and locally heavy rainfall.

Air Quality



Macon County, including the ridegtops, will be a the mid-to-upper range of green today.



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Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month.

Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC. Visit our Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/Adams.Oldcastle.Franklin.NC/

All your masonry needs are available. Our phone number is 828.524.8545, the public is welcome, we’ll help you with your next project.


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Tropical Weather
(The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th)









Tropical Weather Outlook
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
200 AM EDT Fri Aug 7 2020

For the North Atlantic...Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:

Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 5 days.

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End Daily Weather Segment

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Begin COVID-19 Update




Here are some numbers from the CDC, the NCDHHS, and the Johns Hopkins Dashboard. Macon Media prefers the Johns Hopkins Dashboard because the counts include those non-residents that are left out of the CDC and NCDHHS numbers.

The CDC website [LINK] reports 129,288 people in North Carolina are infected, 2,050 have died, and infections are widespread, the NCDHHS website [LINK] reports 131,267 confirmed cases from 1,904,750 targeted tests, and 1,147 hospitalized and 2,092 deaths in the state. The Johns Hopkins Dashboard [LINK] reports 131,802 people infected and 2,126 deaths.

North Carolina Coronavirus Map and Case Count [LINK] https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/north-carolina-coronavirus-cases.html

Data from Macon County Public Health as of yersterday afternoon and graph by Macon Media of data from May 30th to August 6th [LINK] 

Please note there is a gap for Saturdays and Sundays starting two weekends ago since the health department will no longer be reporting numbers on those days.







469 Detected Cases (+5 in one day)
64 Active Positive (unchanged)
402 Recovered (+5 in one day)
3 Deaths (unchanged)

Testing Data for Macon County

4266 MCPH Tests (+20 in one day)
1427 Tests by Others (unchanged)
5693 Total Tests (+20 in one day)
226 Tests Pending Results (-10 in one day)


And here is the weekly Demographic Update from Macon County Public Health released on Wednesday, July 29th. The next demographic update will be on Wednesday, August 6th.






Infographic from Johns Hopkins University [LINK]





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






Published at 5:35am Friday, August 07, 2020

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Governor Makes Masks Mandatory

Governor Cooper has issued Executive Order 147, which extends Executive Order 141's Safer At Home restrictions and requires people, with some exceptions, to wear face coverings in public when social distancing is not possible.

A copy of the executive order and the video briefing where he made the announcement are posted below.

--- BEGIN COMMENTARY---

I try not to stray from simply passing along news and reports of what is happening in my news reports without adding my voice to the news with the belief that most reasonable people can make up their own minds about what they see, hear, or read. 

This time I will make an exception to share with you why wearing a mask or face covering is essential during this public health emergency. Everyone should do their part to slow or stop this thing. 

The bottom line about masks or face coverings is they slow the momentum of droplets in your exhalations. If you're infected with COVID-19, then these droplets you exhale when you breathe will contain SARS CoV-2 particles and there will be less of a chance that you'll spread the infection to others. Since many people are asymptomatic for a time of a few days, and there are many who never exhibit symptoms or exhibit mild symptoms, it is best to presume everyone is infected and wear face coverings or masks to do their part in slowing or stopping the spread of this disease. There are some people in our community, your family, and friends who are not strong enough to survive being infected with this disease and it may kill them or weaken them enough so that other diseases or chronic conditions will end up killing them.

Bobby Coggins
Publisher, Macon Media
June 24, 2020
















---END COMMENTARY---


Here is an Op-Ed that is appropriate to share again. Macon Media previously shared it in the June 18th Afternoon COVID-19 Briefing. [LINK] 

A Mask is a Stupid Hill to Die on, America [LINK] 

And, here is Dr John Campbell speaking about masks and face coverings in a way any layman should be able to understand.




North Carolina Coronavirus Task Force Briefing




ROY COOPER
GOVERNOR
June 24, 2020
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 147
EXTENSION OF PHASE 2 ORDER AND
NEW MEASURES TO SAVE LIVES IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Background Statement

The COVID-1 9 Public Health Emergency

WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, the undersigned issued Executive Order No. 116 which declared a State of Emergency to coordinate the State's response and protective actions to address the Coronavirus Disease 2019 ("COVID-1 9") public health emergency and provide for the health, safety, and welfare of residents and visitors located in No1th Carolina; and

WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic; and

WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States issued an emergency declaration for all states, tribes, territories, and the District of Columbia, retroactive to March 1, 2020, and the President declared that the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States constitutes a national emergency; and

WHEREAS, on March 25, 2020, the President approved a Major Disaster Declaration, FEMA-4487-DR, for the State ofNorth Carolina; and

WHEREAS, in responding to the COVID-1 9 pandemic, and for the purpose of protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the people of North Carolina, the undersigned has issued Executive Order Nos. 11 6-122, 124-125, 129-131 , 133-136, 138-144, and 146; and WHEREAS, more than fifty-six thousand people in North Carolina have had laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, and more than twelve hundred people in North Carolina have died from the disease; and

The Need to Extend Executive Order No. 141

WHEREAS, hospital administrators and health care providers have expressed concerns that unless the spread of COVID-19 is limited, existing health care facilities may be insufficient to care for those who become sick; and

WHEREAS, slowing and controlling community spread of COVID-19 is critical to ensuring that the state's healthcare facilities remain able to accommodate those who require medical assistance; and

WHEREAS, in Executive Order No. 141, issued on May 20, 2020, the undersigned urged that all people in North Carolina follow social distancing recommendations, including that everyone wear a cloth face covering, wait six (6) feet apart and avoid close contact, and wash hands often or use hand sanitizer; and

WHEREAS, to reduce COVID-19 spread, the undersigned, in Executive Order No. 141, required safety measures in certain business settings, limited mass gatherings, and closed certain types of businesses and operations; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina's daily case counts ofCOVID-19 are continuing to increase, the percent of COVID-19 tests that are positive has not decreased, emergency department visits for COVID-19 illnesses are increasing, and hospitalizations for COVID-19 are increasing, which require the undersigned to continue the measures of Executive Order No. 141-and impose additional measures-to slow the spread of this virus during the pandemic; and

WHEREAS, a phased approach to reigniting the economy and reducing restrictions on businesses and activities - with some businesses and activities that pose a risk for COVID-19 spread remaining closed- is necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19, since the operation of each group of businesses and the loosening of each restriction on businesses or activities adds incremental risk and thereby increases the aggregate risk of spread of COVID-19; and Face Coverings

WHEREAS, face coverings can decrease the spread of respiratory droplets from people, and evidence has grown, showing in numerous recent studies that the use of face coverings decreases the spread of COVID-19 within populations; and

WHEREAS, in Executive Order No. 141, the undersigned required that workers in personal care, grooming, and tattoo businesses wear cloth face coverings to reduce the spread of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and thereby to potentially save lives, the undersigned has determined that face coverings must now be required for workers in additional business segments; and

WHEREAS, the undersigned strongly recommends that all people over the age of two (2) in North Carolina should wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, some people have medical or behavioral health issues, disabilities, or other reasons that mean they should be excepted from wearing a face covering, and this Executive Order puts North Carolinians on the honor system to identify if they are within one of the exceptions to face covering requirements and should not wear a mask; and

WHEREAS, under this Executive Order, face coverings are required in many types of businesses, but businesses have the discretion to accommodate people who cannot wear face coverings by serving them at curbside, using home delivery, or using other means to protect against the spread of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, all people over the age of two (2) in North Carolina should use a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but some populations may experience increased anxiety and fear of bias and being profiled if wearing face coverings in public spaces; and

WHEREAS, if someone is the target of ethnic or racial intimidation as the result of adhering to the face covering provision or as a result of the pandemic, they are encouraged to report the matter to law enforcement or another government entity; and Expanding Capacity to Respond to COVID-19

WHEREAS, since the issuance of executive orders to slow the spread of COVID-19, North Carolina has increased its capacity to treat COVID-19, its capacity for testing and tracing, and the availability of PPE; and

WHEREAS, since the declaration of a state of emergency in Executive Order 116, North Carolina has accumulated increased PPE for health care workers and first responders, has developed health care protocols and procedures for the treatment of COVID-19, and has adopted recommendations to promote social distancing and hygiene measures that reduce transmission of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, the state's ability to conduct testing of individuals is vital to the effort to slow the community spread of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, historically marginalized populations, including persons of color and Latinx individuals are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, and may have more trouble accessing COVID-19 testing; and

WHEREAS, the undersigned issued Executive Order No. 143 addressing the impact of COVID-19 on persons of color; and

WHEREAS, the State Health Director has been assigned authority by the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services ("NCDHHS"), pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § l 30A-3, to exercise authorities under N.C. Gen. Stat. § l 30A-5, including to investigate the causes of communicable disease affecting the public health in order to control and prevent those diseases, to provide, under the rules of the North Carolina Commission for Public Health, for the prevention, detection, reporting, and control of communicable diseases, and to develop and carry out health programs necessary for the protection and promotion of the public health and the control of diseases; and

WHEREAS, a state-wide standing order for COVID-19 testing will remove barriers and increase access to testing for historically marginalized and underserved populations and other individuals who do not have access to a primary care physician and facilitate widespread community testing, testing of high-risk populations, and high through-put testing sites; and Statutory Authority and Determinations

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 116 invoked the Emergency Management Act, and
authorizes the undersigned to exercise the powers and duties set forth therein to direct and aid in the response to, recovery from, and mitigation against emergencies; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A-l 9.10(b)(2), the undersigned may make, amend, or rescind necessary orders, rules, and regulations within the limits of the authority conferred upon the Governor in the Emergency Management Act; and

WHEREAS, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 166A-19.I0(b)(3) authorizes and empowers the undersigned to delegate Gubernatorial vested authority under the Emergency Management Act and to provide for the sub-delegation of that authority; and

WHEREAS, N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A-19.10(b)(4) gives the undersigned the authority to "cooperate and coordinate" with the President of the United States; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A-19.12(3)(e), the Division of Emergency Management must coordinate with the State Health Director to revise the North Carolina Emergency Operations Plan as conditions change, including making revisions to set "the appropriate conditions for quarantine and isolation in order to prevent the further transmission of disease," and following this coordination, the Emergency Management Director and the State Health Director have recommended that the Governor develop and order the plan and actions identified in this Executive Order; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A-l 9.23 in conjunction with N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 75-37 and 75-38, the undersigned may issue a declaration that shall trigger the prohibitions against excessive pricing during states of disaster, states of emergency or abnormal market disruptions; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A-l 9.30(a)(l), the undersigned may utilize all available state resources as reasonably necessary to cope with an emergency, including the transfer and direction of personnel or functions of state agencies or units thereof for the purpose of performing or facilitating emergency services; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 166A-19.30(a)(2), the undersigned may take such action and give such directions to state and local law enforcement officers and agencies as may be reasonable and necessary for the purpose of securing compliance with the provisions of the Emergency Management Act and with the orders, rules, and regulations made thereunder; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 166A-19.30(c)(i), the undersigned has determined that local control of the emergency is insufficient to assure adequate protection for lives and property of North Carolinians because not all local authorities have enacted such appropriate ordinances or issued such appropriate declarations restricting the operation of businesses and limiting person-to-person contact, thus needed control cannot be imposed locally; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 166A-19.30(c)(ii), the undersigned has determined that local control of the emergency is insufficient to assure adequate protection for lives and property of North Carolinians because some but not all local authorities have taken implementing steps under such ordinances or declarations, if enacted or declared, in order to effectuate control over the emergency that has arisen; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 166A-19.30(c)(iii), the undersigned has determined that local control of the emergency is insufficient to assure adequate protection for lives and property of North Carolinians because the area in which the emergency exists spreads across local jurisdictional boundaries and the legal control measures of the jurisdictions are conflicting or uncoordinated to the extent that efforts to protect life and property are, or unquestionably will be, severely hampered; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 166A-19.30(c)(iv), the undersigned has determined that local control of the emergency is insufficient to assure adequate protection of lives and property of North Carolinians because the scale of the emergency is so great that it exceeds the capability of local authorities to cope with it; and

WHEREAS, N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A-l 9.30(c) in conjunction with N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A19.31 (b )( 1) authorizes the undersigned to prohibit and restrict the movement of people in public places; and

WHEREAS, N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A-l 9.30(c) in conjunction with N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A19.31 (b )(2) authorizes the undersigned to prohibit and restrict the operation of offices, business establishments, and other places to and from which people may travel or at which they may congregate; and

WHEREAS, N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A-19.30(c) in conjunction with N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A19.3l(b)(5) authorizes the undersigned to prohibit and restrict other activities or conditions, the control of which may be reasonably necessary to maintain order and protect lives or property during a state of emergency; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 166A-l 9.30(c)(l), when the undersigned imposes the prohibitions and restrictions enumerated in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 166A-19.3l(b), the undersigned may amend or rescind the prohibitions and restrictions imposed by local authorities; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A-19.30(a)(2), during a Gubematorially ordered State of Emergency, the undersigned has the power to "give such directions to State and local law enforcement officers and agencies as may be reasonable and necessary for the purpose of securing compliance with the provisions of this Article."

NOW, THEREFORE, by the authority vested in me as Governor by the Constitution and the laws of the State ofNorth Carolina, and for the reasons and pursuant to the statutes listed above and in Executive Order No. 141, IT IS ORDERED:

Section I. Extension and Amendment of Phase 2 Order.

Executive Order No. 141 shall remain in effect, as amended below, until 5 :00 pm on July 17, 2020.

The effective date provision of Executive Order No. 141 is amended to have that order continue in effect through the above-listed time and date.

Section II. New Requirements to Wear Face Coverings.

Executive Order No. 141 is amended to add the following section.

Section 3.5. Face Coverings.

For the reasons and pursuant to the authority set forth above, the undersigned orders as follows:

A. Definitions. "Face Covering" means a covering of the nose and mouth that is secured to the head with ties, straps, or loops over the ears or is simply wrapped around the lower face. A Face Covering can be made of a variety of synthetic and natural fabrics, including cotton, silk, or linen. Ideally, a Face Covering has two (2) or more layers. A Face Covering may be factory-made, sewn by hand, or can be improvised from household items such as scarfs, bandanas, t-shirts, sweatshirts, or towels. These Face Coverings are not intended for use by healthcare providers in the care of patients.

"Surgical Mask" means American Society for Testing and Materials ("ASTM") Level 1, 2, or 3 approved procedural and surgical masks. An N95 respirator approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ("NIOSH") ( or a respirator from another country allowed by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, the Food & Drug Administration, or the CDC) is not recommended for general public use or use in public settings, as it should be reserved for healthcare providers and other medical first responders in a health care setting. However, ifworn, these respirators would meet both the Face Covering and Surgical Mask requirements of this Executive Order. A face shield that covers the nose and mouth also meets the Face Covering requirements of this Executive Order.

B. Where Face Coverings Are Required. People are required to wear Face Coverings in the following settings, whether they are inside or outside, unless an exception applies.

1. In Retail Businesses. Retail Businesses must have all workers wear Face Coverings when they are or may be within six ( 6) feet of another person. In addition, Retail Businesses must have all customers wear Face Coverings when they are inside the establishment and may be within ( 6) feet of another person, unless the customer states that an exception applies.

2. In Restaurants. Restaurants must have all workers wear Face Coverings when they are or may be within six ( 6) feet of another person. In addition, restaurants must have all customers wear Face Coverings when not at their table, unless the customer states that an exception applies.

3. In Personal Care, Grooming, and Tattoo Businesses. Personal Care, Grooming, and Tattoo Businesses must have workers wear Face Coverings when they are or may be within six ( 6) feet of another person. In addition, the business must have all customers wear Face Coverings when they are inside the establishment and may be within six (6) feet of another person, unless the customer states that an exception applies. Customers may take off their Face Coverings if they are receiving a facial treatment, shave, or other services on a part of the head which the Face Covering covers or by which the Face Covering is secured.

4. In Child Care Facilities, Day Camps, and Overnight Camps. Child care facilities, day camps, and overnight camps must have workers, all other adults, and children eleven (11) years or older on site wear Face Coverings when they are or may be within six ( 6) feet of another person.

5. In State Government. State government agencies headed by members of the Governor's Cabinet must have their on-site workers wear Face Coverings when they are or may be within six (6) feet of another person. Public-facing operations of state government agencies under the jurisdiction of the undersigned must also follow the requirements for Retail Businesses established in this Executive Order.

All other state and local government agencies are strongly encouraged to adopt similar policies that require Face Coverings.

6. In Transportation. All workers and riders on public or private transportation regulated by the State ofNorth Carolina, as well as all people in North Carolina airports, bus and train stations or stops, must wear Face Coverings when they are or may be within six ( 6) feet of another person. This provision does not apply to people traveling alone with household members or friends in their personal vehicles, but does apply to ride-shares, cabs, vans, and shuttles, even ifthe vehicles are privately owned.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no customer will be removed from or denied entry to public transportation for failure to wear a Face Covering.

7. In Certain High-Density Occupational Settings Where Social Distancing is Difficult. Social distancing is inherently difficult where multiple workers are together in manufacturing settings, at construction sites, and in migrant farm, other farm, and agricultural settings. Therefore, in businesses or operations within North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) sectors 311 to 339 (manufacturing), 236 to 238 (construction), and 111, 112, 1151, and 1152 (agriculture), all workers must wear Face Coverings when they are or may be within six ( 6) feet of another person.

8. In Meat or Poultry Processing Plants. All workers in any meat or poultry processing plant, packing plant, or slaughterhouse must wear Face Coverings when they are or may be within six (6) feet of another person, and those Face Coverings must be Surgical Masks, as long as Surgical Mask supplies are available.

9. Long Term Care Facilities. All workers in Long Term Care ("LTC") Facilities, including skilled nursing facilities ("SNF"), adult care homes ("ACH"), family care homes ("FCH"), mental health group homes, and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities ("ICF-IID"), must wear Face Coverings while in the facility, and those Face Coverings must be Surgical Masks, as long as Surgical Mask supplies are available.

10. Other Health Care Settings. Health care facilities other than L TC facilities must follow the Face Covering requirements in the CDC Infection Control Guidance for Healthcare Professionals about Coronavirus (COVID-19).

C. Exceptions. This Executive Order does not require Face Coverings for-and a Face Covering does not need to be worn by a worker, customer, or patron who:

1. Should not wear a Face Covering due to any medical or behavioral condition or disability (including, but not limited to, any person who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious or incapacitated, or is otherwise unable to put on or remove the face covering without assistance);

2. Is under eleven ( 11) years of age;

3. Is actively eating or drinking;

4. Is strenuously exercising;

5. Is seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing-impaired in a way that requires the mouth to be visible;

6. Is giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience;

7. Is working at home or is in a personal vehicle;

8. Is temporarily removing his or her Face Covering to secure government or medical services or for identification purposes;

9. Would be at risk from wearing a Face Covering at work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulations or workplace safety guidelines;

10. Has found that his or her Face Covering is impeding visibility to operate equipment or a vehicle; or

11. Is a child whose parent, guardian, or responsible person has been unable to place the Face Covering safely on the child's face. Anyone who declines to wear a Face Covering for these reasons should not be required to produce documentation or any other proof of a condition.

Children under two (2) years of age should not wear a Face Covering.

D. Application of Exceptions. Under this Executive Order, all North Carolinians will be on the honor system about whether or not there is a reason why they cannot wear a Face Covering. Everyone in this state is asked to tell the truth and-if they are healthy and able to wear a mask-to wear a Face Covering so that they do not put other people at risk of serious illness and death.

E. How Businesses May Accommodate Exceptions. If a customer states that an exception applies, a business may choose to offer curbside service, provide home delivery, or use some other reasonable measure to deliver its good or services.

F. Enforcement of Face Covering Requirements.

1. Citations under this Section shall be written only to businesses or organizations that fail to enforce the requirement to wear Face Coverings. Operators of businesses and organizations are entitled to rely on their customers or patrons' statements about whether or not they are excepted from the Face Covering requirements, and businesses and organizations do not violate this Executive Order if they rely on such statements.

2. Law enforcement personnel are not authorized to criminally enforce the Face Covering requirements of this Executive Order against individual workers, customers, or patrons.

3. However, if a business or organization does not allow entry to a worker, customer, or patron because that person refuses to wear a Face Covering, and if that worker, customer, or patron enters the premises or refuses to leave the premises, law enforcement personnel may enforce the trespassing laws and any other laws (other than N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 14-288.20A) that the worker, customer, or patron may violate.

Section 15(A) of Executive Order No. 141 is amended to read:

A. Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 166A-l 9.30(a)(2), the provisions of this Executive Order shall be enforced by state and local law enforcement officers. Enforcement of Section 3.5 shall be limited as stated in that Section. Law enforcement and other public safety and emergency management personnel are strongly encouraged to educate and encourage voluntary compliance with all the provisions of this Executive Order.

Section 1 ( 4) of Executive Order No. 141 is amended to read, '"Face Covering' is defined in Section
3.5(A)."

Section 6(A) of Executive Order No. 141 is amended to read as follows:

A. Prohibition. To control the spread of COVID-19 and protect lives during the State of Emergency, Section 3 .5 and this Section list restrictions on the operations of business establishments and other places to or from which people may travel or at which they may congregate. Businesses or operations within the scope of Section 3.5 or this Section are prohibited from operating unless they follow any applicable restrictions stated in Section 3.5 and this Section.

Sections 6(C)(2)(c), 6(D)(2)(c), and 6(D)(3) of Executive Order No. 141 are removed, since the substance of those provisions has been replaced with new Section 3.5 above.

Section III. Increase Access to COVID-19 Testing Through a Statewide Standing Order.

Executive Order No. 141 is amended to add the following additional section.

Section 9.5. Statewide Standing Order for COVID-19 Testing.

In order to further protect the public health by providing greater access to
COVID-19 testing, the undersigned orders the State Health Director, in addition to and in accordance with her powers set out in N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 130A, to issue any statewide standing order needed in her medical judgment that would allow individuals who meet NCDHHS criteria for testing to access and undergo testing for COVID-19, subject to the terms of the standing order. This standing order may continue for the duration of the State of Emergency.

Section IV. More Precisely Tailored Mitigation Measures for Long Term Care.

Section 10(8) of Executive Order No. 141 and Section 7 of Executive Order No. 138 are removed and replaced by the following provision added to Executive Order No. 141.

Section 10.5. Limitations on Certain Long Term Care Facilities.

For the reasons and pursuant to the authority set forth above, the undersigned orders as follows:

A. Scope of this Section. This Section applies only to skilled nursing facilities (SNF) and combination homes ( combined skilled nursing and assisted living facilities).

B. Limitations. Facilities within the scope of this Section shall restrict visitation of all visitors and non-essential health care personnel, except for certain compassionate care situations, such as an end-of-life situation. Facilities within the scope of this Section shall also cancel communal dining and all group activities, including internal and external activities.

Section V. Extension of Price Gouging Period.

Section 11 of Executive Order No. 141 is amended to read as follows:

Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § l 66A-l 9.23, the undersigned extends the prohibition against excessive pricing, as provided in N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 75-37 and 75-38, from the issuance of Executive Order No. 116 through 5:00 pm on July 17, 2020.

The undersigned further hereby encourages the North Carolina Attorney General to use all resources available to monitor reports of abusive trade practices towards consumers and make readily available opportunities to report to the public any price gouging and unfair or deceptive trade practices under Chapter 75 of the No11h Carolina General Statutes.

Section VI. Effective Date.

This Executive Order is effective at 5:00 pm on June 26, 2020. This Executive Order shall remain in effect through 5:00 pm on July 17, 2020 unless repealed, replaced, or rescinded by another applicable Executive Order. An Executive Order rescinding the Declaration of the State of Emergency will automatically rescind this Executive Order.

Notwithstanding any provision of this Section and Section 16 ofExecutive Order No. 141, any statewide standing order for COVID-19 testing issued by the State Health Director under Section 9.5 of Executive Order No. 141 (as added by Section III of this Executive Order) shall remain in effect for the duration of the State of Emergency unless specifically repealed, replaced, or rescinded.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in the City of Raleigh, this 24th day of June in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty.

Governor
ATTEST:
Secretary of State

A PDF Copy is available on the web. [PDF]

Other Executive Orders can be downloaded. [LINK]


About Masks and Face Coverings

Cases Are Up, Mask Use Is Down -- Let's Reverse That [LINK] 

(The main article is behind a paywall, but there is a video you may watch)

Face masks and COVID-19: Why, when and how to use masks properly


COVID-19: Mayo Clinic expert answers questions about masks after CDC updates its recommendation



Masks in Other Countries

Usage of Masks "Flattened" Growth of Coronavirus Cases in Czech Republic [LINK]

Lessons From Slovakia—Where Leaders Wear Masks [LINK]

Research Article: Comparison of face mask use before and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in South Korea as of February 2020 [LINK]
(download links are on the upper right side of the article)


Unmasking Differing U.S. and South Korean Approaches to COVID-19 [LINK]

Wearing face masks prevented spread of coronavirus in Taiwan: CECC [LINK]




Opinion

Column: We’re turning into two Americas: Masked and unmasked [LINK]






Published at 7:45pm on Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Read More

News and Weather Briefing for Friday, May 29, 2020

OUTLOOK

Warm and moist southerly flow will continue across the region today ahead of a developing cold front. The front will move into the area Saturday and track southeast through early Sunday. Dry and a little cooler air will mix in from the northwest Sunday through the early part of next week.

GoFundMe Established to Benefit Children of David and Dawn Head

On Saturday, 5/23/2020, Macon County Sheriff's Deputy David Head and his wife, Dawn, a Physical Therapist with Highlands/Cashiers Hospital, were tragically killed in an automobile accident. They leave behind four children, Jeslyn Head (17), J.D. Head (13), Erin Sanborn (17), and Sidney Sanborn (19). This fund has been set up by the employees of the Macon County Sheriff's Office in an effort to help all 4 children of David and Dawn Head. [LINK]

Procession on Main Street



Procession on US-441 South of Franklin



County to Hold Press Conference on COVID-19 Situation

Macon County will hold a press conference at the Robert C Carpenter Community Building at 2pm this afternoon to discuss the COVID-19 situation in Macon County. The meeting is closed to the public and only media outlets are allowed to attend. Macon Media will be there and will stream live video of the press conference on Facebook.


County Commissioners Hold Budget Work Session

The Macon County Board of Commissioners held a budget work session Tuesday. Video and supporting documents are on the website. [LINK]





General Forecast Through Sunday Night



Today

Partly sunny. Patchy dense fog in the morning. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the 70s. Winds out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then a chance of showers after midnight. Lows in the 50s. Winds out of the west 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Saturday

Partly sunny. A chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the 70s. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy. Lows in the 50s.

Sunday

Mostly sunny. Highs ranging from the mid-60s to the lower 70s. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph.

Sunday Night

Mostly clear. Lows around 50.


Hazards

Patchy dense fog this morning and thunderstorms, some strong or severe, this afternoon.

Patchy dense fog, reducing visibility to 1/4 mile or less, can be expected across mainly the foothills and mountain valleys of the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia this morning. Motorists traveling along I-40 through western North Carolina, I-26 from the Spartanburg area through western North Carolina, I-85 through the Greenville-Spartanburg area, as well as other roads and highways across the region should be prepared roe sudden loss of visibility. Slow down, use low beam headlights, and allow plenty of distance between yourself and other vehicles. The fog should burn off by 900 AM in most areas.

Scattered to numerous thunderstorms will develop this afternoon and linger into the evening hours. A few of these storms could become quite strong to severe with the main threats being damaging winds and large hail. Cloud to ground lightning will also be probable.



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Weather Sponsor



Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month.

Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC. Visit our Facebook page at:
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Tropical Weather
(The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th)



Special Tropical Weather Outlook...Corrected
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
810 PM EDT Thu May 28 2020

For the North Atlantic...Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:

Corrected website for the High Seas Forecast

Special Tropical Weather Outlook issued to discuss the area of low pressure over the central Atlantic.

1. A surface trough and associated upper-level disturbance are producing disorganized shower activity and gusty winds over the central Atlantic Ocean several hundred miles east-southeast of Bermuda. Gradual development of this system is possible, and it could acquire some subtropical characteristics on Friday and Saturday as it moves generally northward. Development is not expected after that time due to unfavorable environmental conditions. For additional information, see High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service. The next Special Tropical Weather Outlook on this system will be issued by 9 AM EDT Friday, or earlier if necessary.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...30 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...low...30 percent.



End Daily Weather Segment

---

---

Begin COVID-19 Update




Here are some numbers from yesterday provided by the CDC, the NCDHHS, and the Johns Hopkins Dashboard. Macon Media prefers the Johns Hopkins Dashboard because the counts include those non-residents that are left out of the CDC and NCDHHS numbers.

The CDC website [LINK] reports 24,628 people in North Carolina are infected, 794 have died, and infections are widespread, the NCDHHS website [LINK] reports 25,412 confirmed cases from 375,192 targeted tests, and 708 hospitalized and 827 deaths in the state. The Johns Hopkins Dashboard [LINK] reports 25,826 people infected and 877 deaths (these include non-residents located in NC).

COVID-19 Data for Macon County from Coronaction. [LINK]

Detected 19
Recovered 4
Deceased 1
Actives 14




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

How coronavirus spreads outdoors vs. indoors


North Carolina Coronavirus Briefing for May 28th


Dr John Campbell:

The Global Situation for May 28th











CROWDFUNDING OR DAY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES


If you receive value from what Macon Media provides to the community, please consider becoming a supporter and contribute at least a dollar a month. Those who support Macon Media with at least a dollar a month receive early access to video of some events and meetings before they are made public on the website. Videos and news involving public safety are not subject to early access.


Become a Patron!
Or, if you prefer Pay Pal, try PayPal.me/MaconMedia






Published at 6:30am on Friday, May 29, 2020

Read More

COVID-19 Update for Thursday, March 26, 2020

An empty Main Street in Franklin, NC on the morning of March 21, 2020, as most residents heed requests from public health and local government to practice social distancing in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the local area. Photo by Bobby Coggins.

Since the COVID-19 Updates have grown ever larger, Macon Media has decided to begin posting them as a separate article so people who do not want to wade through several dozen links and videos, don't have to do do. Several curated videos and links to articles are posted below to allow you to follow the course of humanity's response to this global pandemic. To start us off, Wikipedia has a list of known pandemics throughout history. [LINK]


DAY SPONSOR

Macon Media is being underwritten today by Franklin Health & Fitness, home of #ResultsForEveryone and the FREE 7-Day Guest Pass.

During this public health emergency, Franklin Health and Fitness has made the difficult decision to temporarily close due to the continued risk surrounding COVID-19. To see updates related to COVID-19, please click: franklinhealthandfitness.com

There are also On-Demand Fitness Videos located on their website. [LINK]





COVID-19 Update 

North Carolina has reported the first deaths from the coronavirus. A 70-plus-year-old Cabarrus County resident and a 60-plus-year-old person from Virginia who was traveling through North Carolina died on Tuesday of complications from COVID-19, the illness associated with the virus. The travelling Virginian will be recorded as a death in Virginia, not North Carolina. [WRAL-TV]

The CDC website [LINK] reports 504 people in North Carolina are infected with one death and that the infection has reached community spread and there are widespread infections in the state, the NCDHHS website [LINK] also reports 504 cases and one death in the state. The Johns Hopkins Dashboard [LINK] reports 625 people infected and 2 deaths.

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

World Health Organization Briefing



White House Task Force Briefing



North Carolina COVID-19 Briefing

English


Spanish


Governor closes K-12 schools for in-person instruction until May 15th [LINK]

NC local governments enact piecemeal stay-at-home orders [LINK]

Articles

Can We Really Ban In-Person Attendance at Board Meetings During the Coronavirus Emergency? [LINK] 

Should You Hike? [LINK]

Getting Off The Trail - Coronavirus & The Hiking Community



ATC Statement [LINK]

PCTA Statement [LINK]

CDTC Statement [LINK] 

ATA Statement [LINK]





On Dec. 1, 2019, a patient in Wuhan, China, started showing symptoms of what doctors determined was a new coronavirus. Since then, the virus has spread to infect more than 100,000 people. Here’s how the virus grew to a global pandemic.


Atlanta mayor says ICU units are at "full capacity" [LINK]

NYU offers early graduation to senior med students in bid to fight coronavirus [LINK]


What happens if New York hospitals run out of ventilators? State officials are considering different options to help in that grim scenario. WSJ’s Jason Bellini spoke to experts familiar with the discussions.


About COVID-19


From Neural Academy:

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a family of viruses that cause sicknesses like the common cold, as well as more severe diseases, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain – one that hasn’t previously been recognized in humans.

Coronaviruses cause diseases in mammals and birds. A zoonotic virus is one that is transmitted between animals and people. When a virus circulating in animal populations infects people, this is termed a “spillover event”.
How does CoVID-19 affect the body? The virus is fitted with protein spikes sticking out of the envelope that forms the surface and houses a core of genetic material. Any virus that enters your body looks for cells with compatible receptors – ones that allow it to invade the cell. Once they find the right cell, they enter and use the cell’s replication machinery to create copies of themselves. It is likely that COVID-19 uses the same receptor as SARS – found in both lungs and small intestines.

It is thought that CoVID-19 shares many similarities with SARS, which has three phases of attack: viral replication, hyper-reactivity of the immune system, and finally pulmonary destruction. Early on in infection, the coronavirus invades two types of cells in the lungs – mucus and cilia cells. Mucus keeps your lungs from drying out and protects them from pathogens. Cilia beat the mucus towards the exterior of your body, clearing debris – including viruses! – out of your lungs. Cilia cells were the preferred hosts of SARS-CoV, and are likely the preferred hosts of the new coronavirus. When these cells die, they slough off into your airways, filling them with debris and fluid. Symptoms include a fever, cough, and breathing difficulties. Many of those infected get pneumonia in both their lungs.

Enter the immune system. Immune cells recognize the virus and flood into the lungs. The lung tissue becomes inflamed. During normal immune function, the inflammatory process is highly regulated and is confined to infected areas. However, sometimes the immune system overreacts, and this results in damage to healthy tissue. More cells die and slough off into the lungs, further clogging them and worsening the pneumonia.
As damage to the lungs increases, stage three begins, potentially resulting in respiratory failure. Patients that reach this stage of infection can incur permanent lung damage or even die. We see the same lesions in the lungs of those infected by the novel coronavirus as those with SARS. SARS creates holes in the lungs, so they look honeycomb-like. This is probably due to the aforementioned over-reactive immune response, which affects tissue both infected and healthy and creates scars that stiffen the lungs. As such, some patients may require ventilators to aid breathing.

The inflammation also results in more permeable alveoli. This is the location of the thin interface of gas exchange, where your lungs replace carbon dioxide in your blood with fresh oxygen you just inhaled. Increased permeability causes fluid to leak into the lungs. This decreases the lungs’ ability to oxygenate blood, and in severe cases, floods them so that you become unable to breathe. Sometimes, this can be fatal.

The immune system’s over-reaction can also cause another kind of damage. Proteins called cytokines are the immune system’s alarm system, recruiting immune cells to the infection site. Over-production of cytokines can result in a cytokine storm, where there is large-scale inflammation in the body. Blood vessels become more permeable and fluid seeps out. This makes it difficult for blood and oxygen to reach the rest of the body and can result in multi-organ failure. This has happened in the most severe cases of CoVid-19. Although there are no specific treatments for coronaviruses, symptoms can be treated through supportive care. Also, vaccines are currently in development.

What can you do to protect yourself from CoVid-19? Basic protocol comes down to regular hand washing, avoiding close contact with anyone coughing or sneezing, avoiding unnecessary contact with animals, washing hands after contact with animals, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs prior to consumption, and covering your mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing. Respiratory viruses are typically transmitted via droplets in sneezes or coughs of those infected, so preventing their travel stops the spread of disease.

How Pandemics Spread


Ted-Ed Lesson by Mark Honigsbaum, directed by Patrick Blower. Published on March 12, 2012

Dig into the history of pandemics to learn how viruses and disease spreads and what we can do to stop future outbreaks.

In our increasingly globalized world, a single infected person can board a plane and spread a virus across continents. Mark Honigsbaum describes the history of pandemics and how that knowledge can help halt future outbreaks.


The Pandemic in Italy


It’s Europe’s coronavirus epicentre with cases of infected rising by up to a thousand daily. Hospitals are full. Patients, young and old, are dying. To control the outbreak, Italy is in lockdown but is it too little too late?

In the province of Lodi, half an hour from northern Italy’s capital Milan, it’s day 23 of the lockdown.

A young couple - Isabella and Roberto - are stuck inside with their 3-year-old daughter Eleonora. They’re wondering when they will be able to resume normal life.

The northern Lombardy region has been dubbed the ground zero of Italy’s corona crisis. So far, over two thousand people have died there and nearly thirty thousand have been infected.

After Lombardy, the virus spread through the north, then nationwide.
At first, doctors mistook it for the flu. Precious time was lost and now Italy, known for its warm embraces and kisses on both cheeks, has more cases than any country apart from China.

Hospitals have been swamped. All non-corona related patients’ care has been sidelined. Doctors have been issued with protocols about which patients to prioritise and which not to – a form of disaster medicine.

Desperate to bring the virus under control, Italy has finally taken strong action, declaring a nationwide lockdown. Schools and universities have shut. Shops, cafes and restaurants have closed. Apart from buying groceries, people need official authorisation to move around or else face a fine.

Reporter Emma Alberici can’t travel to Italy but she has relatives and friends there.

For this special report, Emma taps into her network of family and friends as well as doctors and businesspeople, to tell an intimate story about how families, communities and the country are dealing with this unprecedented health emergency.

We use skype calls, phone diaries, photos and home video to bring you a picture of Italy in lockdown.

In Milan, we meet the head surgeon at one of the city’s major hospitals. He’s isolated at home after contracting the Coronavirus from one of his patients. He explains how he’s being treated for the infection and his fears for his wife, who’s working as an obstetrician.

There’s 7-year-old Zoe, who doing school from her home in Milan. She skypes her Australian friend Livia and they chat and giggle about the virus and hand washing.

We meet Emma’s 90-year-old aunt recently hospitalised with influenza, and her cousin – also Emma Alberici – who’s looking after her mother while holding down a job as CFO of a big pharmaceutical company in Milan – an industry which has special exemption from the lockdown.

We hear from Isabella and Roberto about the meals they’re cooking and the bread they’re baking.

And we interview virologist Prof Roberto Burioni who warns Australia that this virus is dangerous and must be taken with the utmost seriousness.

This is an intimate insight into an extraordinary moment in history.

Read more here: https://ab.co/2WG1zYW


COVID-19 Around the World

March 25th Message from Dr John Campbell in the UK


Russian President Putin declares next week a holiday and tells everyone to stay at home [LINK]


Homeless man who tested positive for COVID-19 left to wander Montreal streets after screening [LINK]

Coronavirus: Iceland’s mass testing finds half of carriers show no symptoms [LINK]




CROWDFUNDING OR DAY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES


If you receive value from what Macon Media provides to the community, please consider becoming a supporter and contribute at least a dollar a month. Those who support Macon Media with at least a dollar a month receive early access to video of some events and meetings before they are made public on the website. Videos and news involving public safety are not subject to early access.


Become a Patron!
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Published at 3:45am on Thursday, March 26, 2020

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