>>>
>>> NOW
>>> NOW ON WCNC CHARLOTTE AT NOON THE COVERAGE OF THE CORONAVIRUS CONTINUES.
TOMORROW IS ONE MONTH SINCE WE
SAW OUR VERY FIRST CASE IN
MECKLENBURG COUNTY.
WE ARE UP TO 869 WITH 10 DEATHS
IN THE COUNTY NOW.
NEW NUMBERS THEN SHOW THERE ARE
NOW 3908 CASES IN NORTH
CAROLINA AND 74 DEATHS.
THE PEAK WILL HIT APRIL 15,
THAT IS JUST FIVE DAYS AWAY.
BECAUSE OF THIS, OFFICIALS ARE
PUTTING IN STRICTER
RESTRICTIONS AT ANY STORES THAT
ARE STILL OPEN.
AS MANY PEOPLE ARE GETTING TO I
SHOULD SAY GEARING UP TO
CELEBRATE EASTER, OFFICIALS ARE
REMINDING EVERYONE THAT
CELEBRATIONS NEED TO BE
VIRTUAL.>>> AS WE NEAR THE PEAK
OF THE CRISIS HERE IN NORTH
CAROLINA, OFFICIALS ARE TAKING
NEW STEPS TO PROTECT WORKERS
AND SHOPPERS.
IT COMES THAT'S ANOTHER LOCAL
GROCERY STORE EMPLOYEE TESTED
POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.
RICHARD HAS THE LATEST.>>
Reporter: MANY OF YOU HAVE
ALREADY NOTICED A LOT OF THE
CHANGES THAT GROCERY STORES
LIKE THE ONE BEHIND ME, BUT WE
CAN TELL YOU THE GOVERNOR SAYS
THIS NEEDS TO BE STATEWIDE AND
FOR EVERY SINGLE STORE IN ORDER
TO BATTLE THE COVID-19.
>> TO ENSURE THAT RETAIL
STORES ARE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE
FOR EVERYONE, SO THAT NO ONE IS
AFRAID TO GO OUT FOR BASIC
NECESSITIES.
>> Reporter: GOVERNOR ROY
COOPER URGING PEOPLE TO KEEP
SOCIAL DISTANCING AND HE ADDED
ANOTHER STEP TO THE EXECUTIVE
ORDER.
MANY ALREADY POSTING FINES LIKE
THIS AS A REMINDER FOR
CUSTOMERS TO STAY SIX FEET
APART AT CHECKOUT THIS IS TO
LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SHOPPERS IN
THE STORE TO 20% AT ANY GIVEN
TIME.
EMPLOYEES AT THIS HARRIS TEETER
AND ARBORETUM TESTED POSITIVE
FOR COVID-19.
A SPOKESPERSON SAYS THE STORE
HAD ALREADY STARTED THEIR OWN
SAFETY MEASURES.
THAT INCLUDES INSTALLING
PLEXIGLASS SHIELDS AT CHECKOUT
AND PROVIDING GLOVES AND MASKS
FOR EMPLOYEES.
THE STORE HAS DESIGNATED HOURS
FOR SENIORS SHOPPERS OVER 60.
ON TOP OF THAT, THE EXECUTIVE
ORDER REQUIRES CLEANING THE
STORE BE A PRIORITY.>> TO MAKE
SHOPPING SAFER FOR CUSTOMERS
AND RETAIL EMPLOYEES, AND HELP
PREVENT STORES FROM BECOMING
FLASHPOINTS FOR VIRUS
TRANSMISSION.
>> Reporter: AS A REMINDER,
THIS WILL ALL BEGIN MONDAY AT 5
PM.
A NUMBER OF STORES HAVE ALREADY
IMPLEMENTED THESE CHANGES FOR
THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE
ORDER.>>> FIVE EMPLOYEES AT
WELLS FARGO CUSTOMER
INFORMATION CENTER ON WEST WT
HARRIS SAID BOULEVARD HAS
TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.
MOST RECENT WAS YESTERDAY AND
THAT WAS IN THE OFFICE ON
WEDNESDAY.
EMPLOYEES AT THE CENTER HAVE
BEEN NOTIFIED.
THOSE WHO CAME IN CLOSE CONTACT
WITH THE INDIVIDUAL ARE ASKED
TO NOT TO COME TO THE OFFICE
FOR THE NEXT 14 DAYS.>>> GOOD
NEWS IF YOU'RE ANXIOUSLY
AWAITING YOUR FIRST
UNEMPLOYMENT CHECK.
HERE IS MORE ON THAT AND OTHER
STORIES FROM ACROSS THE
CAROLINAS TODAY.>> Reporter:
NORTH CAROLINA LEADERS PLAN TO
ROLL OUT THE $600 UNEMPLOYMENT
CHECKS STARTING NEXT WEEK.
THE MONEY COMES AS A PART OF THE
CARE'S ACT FOR ELIGIBLE
UNEMPLOYED WORKERS.
OFFICIALS PLAN TO START
ACCEPTING CLAIMS FROM PEOPLE
WHO ARE SELF-EMPLOYED, STARTING
APRIL 25.>>> IS SMALL NORTH
CAROLINA TOWN IS RAMPING UP
THEIR EFFORTS TO PROTECT ITS
RESIDENTS.
BEAUFORT IS SETTING UP A
CHECKPOINT ON HIGHWAY 70, THE
ONLY ROAD INTO TOWN.
WORKERS AND PEOPLE THERE WILL
BE ALLOWED IN BUT TOURIST WILL
BE TURNED AWAY.>>> SOUTH
CAROLINA HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY
ALL WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN
OR SERVICES WILL BE OFFERED
OVER THE PHONE.
STARTING MONDAY, CLIENTS WILL
NO LONGER BE REQUIRED TO VISIT
THEIR CLINICS.
OFFICIALS WANT TO FIGHT RECENT
PRODUCT SHORTAGES CAUSED BY
COVID-19.
AND THAT IS WHAT IS MAKING NEWS
ACROSS THE CAROLINAS.
>>> A GRIM REALITY, NEW YORK
STATE HAS MORE CORONAVIRUS
CASES THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY
BUT TODAY THE NATIONAL TENNYSON
CENTER IS A FIELD HOSPITAL AND
WILL SEE THE FIRST COVID-19
PATIENTS.
THE HOPE IS ALL OF THE BEDS
WON'T BE NEEDED.
>> Reporter: IN HARD-HIT NEW
YORK, THE CURVE IS FLATTENING.
THE LATEST NUMBERS SHOW
HOSPITALIZATIONS, ICU
ADMISSIONS AND INTIMATIONS HAVE
SLOWED DRAMATICALLY.>> WE HAD
200 NET INCREASE IN
HOSPITALIZATIONS WHICH YOU CAN
SEE IS THE LOWEST NUMBER WE'VE
HAD SINCE THIS NIGHTMARE
STARTED.
>> Reporter: BUT DEATHS SPIKED
YET AGAIN TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL
OF THE PANDEMIC, NEARLY 800
LIVES LOST IN 24 HOURS.
SO FAR MORE THAN 7000 HAVE DIED
IN NEW YORK STATE, ALONE.
LEADING TO THE STARTLING SITE
AT A CITY CEMETERY.
WORKERS IN PROTECTIVE HAZMAT
SUITS BEARING UNCLAIMED BODIES
IN A MASS GRAVE.
IN NEW YORK, MEN ARE DYING
ALMOST TWICE AS OFTEN AS WOMEN
AND NATIONALLY ARE GETTING
TESTED LESS.
>> THIS IS TO ALL THE MEN OUT
THERE NO MATTER WHAT AGE GROUP.
IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS, YOU
SHOULD BE TESTED.
>> Reporter: WHILE THE HEALTH
SYSTEM IS STRESSED, IT IS NOT
OVERCAPACITY.
A NEW TEMPORARY HOSPITAL IS SET
TO OPEN TODAY AT THE NATIONAL
TENNIS CENTER, THE CONVENTION
CENTER CONVERTED TO HOUSE 2500
PATIENTS HAS FEWER THAN 200
RIGHT NOW.
OUT SIDE AT MOUNT SINAI THEY
HAVE SCRAPPED PLANS TO HOUSE
THE SICK THE CATHEDRAL.
BUT THE MAYOR SAYS HE EXPECTS
SOCIAL DISTANCING RESTRICTIONS
WILL STAY IN PLACE THROUGH AT
LEAST MID MAY.>> YOU CANNOT,
FOR A MOMENT, GET AHEAD OF
THINGS AND SORT OF COUNT YOUR
CHICKENS BEFORE THEY'RE HATCHED
OR THIS DISEASE WILL HAVE A
RESURGENCE AND WE CAN ACTUALLY
BE WORSE OFF.
>> STILL, THIS DOCTOR SEES HOPE.
>> WE HEAR GOOD THINGS EVERY
DAY.
>> Reporter: SHE GOT A TEXT
FROM A COLLEGE BEFORE SHE
STARTED HER NIGHT SHIFT.
>> SHE SAID A NUMBER AND SAID,
THIS IS THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS
WHOSE LIVES WE HAVE BEEN
SAVING.
OVER JUST THE PAST DAY.
TOGETHER WE WILL OVERCOME THIS.
>>> A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT
MASKS AS WELL, WHO SHOULD WEAR
THEM AND WHEN, TODAY WE ARE
TRYING TO BREAK DOWN THE REASON
FOR ALL THIS CONFUSION.
>> THIS IS HEALTH OFFICIALS
ADVISING AGAINST THE GENERAL
PUBLIC WEARING MASKS IN EARLY
MARCH.
>> SHOULD YOU WEAR A MASK IF
YOU'RE HEALTHY?
>> NO.
>> THERE IS NO ADVANTAGE TO IT.
NOW THEY ARE CHANGING THE TUNE
ON WHO SHOULD WEAR MASKS.
>> WEARING CLOTH FACE
COVERINGS, OR OTHER SOCIAL
DISTANCING MEASURES ARE
DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN.>>
Reporter: WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH
MASKS?
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE CDC'S
INITIAL GUIDELINE.
IT SAYS THE CDC DOES NOT
RECOMMEND HEALTHY PEOPLE TO
WEAR A FACE MASK.
ADDITIONAL ABUSE BY PEOPLE WHO
HAVE COVID-19 AND ARE SHOWING
SYMPTOMS.
THAT SOUNDS STRAIGHTFORWARD.
BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE
HEALTHY?
WELCOME FROM EARLY ON DURING
THE OUTBREAK SOME PEOPLE WHO
ARE INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS MAY
NOT SHOW SYMPTOMS FOR 14 DAYS.
THIS IS CALLED THE INCUBATION
TIME FRAME.
IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE TWO
SPREAD THE VIRUS.
WE DIDN'T KNOW TO WHAT DEGREE
THIS OCCURS AND HOW MUCH IT
HELPS THE OUTBREAK.
ADDING ON TOP OF THIS WAS THE
PRAGMATIC CONCERN THAT A RUN ON
MASKS COULD WORSEN THE SHORTAGE
OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES FOR
HOSPITALS.
AND THE FEAR THAT MASKS MAY
GIVE PEOPLE A FALSE SENSE OF
SECURITY SO THE CDC DECIDED NOT
TO EMBRACE THE USE OF FACEMASK.
THE SAME EVIDENCE LED ASIA TO A
DIFFERENT CONCLUSION.
THEY STARTED ADVISING OR
MANDATING THE HEALTHY PEOPLE
WEAR MASKS AND CROWDED PLACES,
CITING FEARS OF ASYMPTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION.
THE DEMAND FOR MASKS
SKYROCKETED, WHICH WAS EASED BY
GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION.
NEW CASES OF ASYMPTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION CHALLENGE THE
REASSURING MESSAGE BY HEALTH
OFFICIALS BY THE WAY THE VIRUS
SPREADS.>> HOW CAN YOU TELL
PEOPLE TO ONLY WEAR A MASK IF
THEY ARE SICK IF THEY DON'T
KNOW THAT THEY ARE SICK?
>> Reporter: EVIDENCE GREW
STRONGER THAT ASYMPTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION IS MORE
RESPONSIBLE FOR CASES THAN
PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT, PROMPTING
THE CDC TO BRING UP NEW
THINKING.
SO HOW EFFECTIVE OUR FACE MAX
AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS?
TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT.
SOME THINK THAT ALTHOUGH
LOOSELEAF IT MUST PROVIDE
LITTLE PERFECTION IT IS
EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING
TRANSMISSION AND IF EVERYONE
WEARS WHEN IT CAN STEM
TRANSMISSION FROM THE PEOPLE
WITH NO OR MILD SYMPTOMS.
OTHERS BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE WHO
HAVE NO SYMPTOMS DO NOT NEED TO
WEAR MASKS AND IF WORN
IMPROPERLY THEY MAY INCREASE
THE RISK.
ONE REASON MY SOME ASIAN
COUNTRIES HAVE PROMOTED THE
IDEA THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC
SHOULD WEAR MASKS FROM THE
BEGINNING IS LIKELY BECAUSE OF
THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH SARS, A
VIRUS SIMILAR TO THE
CORONAVIRUS AND THE SPREAD
MOSTLY IN ASIA.
ALWAYS WEARING A MASK WHEN
GOING OUT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A
70% REDUCTION IN RISK.
SARS ALSO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED
THE PEOPLE IN ASIA VIEW MASKS.
REMOVING THE STIGMA OF WEARING
IT IN PUBLIC.
BUT THE MASTER BECOMES WITH TWO
BIG CAVEATS.
FIRST, THERE IS STILL A DIRE
SHORTAGE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT AND HOSPITALS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY PUTTING MEDICAL
WORKERS AT INCREASED RISK OF
THE VIRUS.
WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT TO GIVE
THE HEALTH CARE WORKERS THE
BEST THEY DESERVE.
MASKS ARE NOT MAGIC SHIELDS AND
NOT REPLACING SOCIAL
DISTANCING, SOUTH KOREA THAT
SUCCESSFULLY FLATTENED THE
CURVE DID SO BY COMBINING
SOCIAL DISTANCING, MASK WEARING
AND RIGOROUS CONTACT TRAINING.
ONLY BY WORKING TOGETHER CAN WE
EFFECTIVELY STOP THE SPREAD OF
THE CORONAVIRUS.
>>> EASTER CELEBRATIONS LOOKING
DIFFERENT THIS WEEKEND.
MECKLENBURG COUNTY OFFICIALS
REMINDING EVERYONE THAT ALL
RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS HAVE TO
BE VIRTUAL IF THEY INCLUDE MORE
THAN 10 PEOPLE.
RACHEL SHOWS US HOW YOU CAN
STILL MAKE EASTER SPECIAL.
>> Reporter: WE WANT TO WISH
YOU A VERY SPECIAL HAPPY EASTER
WEEKEND.
WE KNOW THAT IT IS LOOKING A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BUT THAT
DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T
STILL TAKE PART IN THE
TRADITIONAL EASTER THINGS YOU
DO WITH YOUR FAMILY AND KIDS.
LIKE VISIT THE EASTER BUNNY.
VIRTUAL EASTER BUNNY IS A REAL
THING.
LOOK IT UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA, DO
A QUICK GOOGLE AND YOU WILL SEE
THEY HAVE VIRTUAL EASTER BUNNY
VISITS WITH YOU AND YOUR KIDS.
IT MAY COST YOU A FEW BUCKS BUT
IT IS AVAILABLE.
ALL THE RAVE NOW IS THE VIRTUAL
EASTER EGG HUNT.
THIS IS THE 101 ON THIS.
YOU FIND YOUR FRIENDS THAT ARE
IN DIFFERENT HOUSES AND YOU SAY
OKAY WE ARE GOING TO HIDE OUR
EASTER EGGS ALL IN THE SAME
SPOTS LIKE ON TOP OF MOM AND
DAD'S BEDS, THE COUCH AND ASKED
THE FIREPLACE.
THEN ZOOM, SKYPE, FACETIME OR
WHATEVER YOU PREFER.
YOU HAVE YOUR KIDS THERE IN
DIFFERENT SPOTS AND YOU READ
THE CLUE ALLOWED AND THEY GO
FIND WHERE THE EASTER EGG IS.
AT THE VERY END YOU COUNT UP
THE EGGS AND GIVE THE WINNER
THE PRIZE THAT YOU PICK.
A LOT OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING
THEIR USUAL FAMILY DINNERS WHEN
THEY GET TOGETHER FOR EASTER
VIRTUALLY AS WELL.
VIA ZOOM LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING
A LOT OF LATELY.
WE KNOW THAT TODAY IS GOOD
FRIDAY AND MANY OF YOU ARE USED
TO ATTENDING SERVICES ON GOOD
FRIDAY.
I SPOKE WITH THE LOCAL CAMPUS
PASTOR AT ELEVATION OF TOWN,
PASTOR TERRY BRUCE.
VERY FOND OF HIM AND HE TALKED
ABOUT A SERVICE FOR COMMUNION
AND PRAYER THAT IS HAPPENING
TONIGHT IF YOU WANT TO
PARTICIPATE HERE IS MORE
INFORMATION.
>> WE ARE ENCOURAGING ANYONE TO
GET ANYTHING AROUND YOUR HOME
THAT COULD BE REPRESENTED OF
THE ELEMENTS.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAVE
BREAD OR SOME KIND OF GRAPE
JUICE.
WE KNOW IN THIS DAY AND AGE YOU
MAY NOT HAVE IT.
IT'S OKAY IT'S MORE ABOUT THE
SYMBOLISM AND THE ACT IN
REMEMBRANCE.
NOT NECESSARILY A SUBSTANCE
THAT HAS TO BE PERFECT.>>
Reporter: ELEVATION HAS THE
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE TONIGHT AND
THEY'RE OFFERING EASTER SUNDAY
SERVICES AS WELL AS 70 OTHER
CHURCHES THAT ARE IN OUR AREA.
WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE IS EASY
FOR YOU BECAUSE IT IS ALREADY
HARD ENOUGH WITH ALL OF THE
CHANGES.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TEXT THE
WORD CHURCH TO THE NUMBER ON
THE SCREEN AND WE WILL
AUTOMATICALLY SEND YOU THE LINK
TO ALL OF THE