AT I-85.
NOT MUCH GOING ON THIS MORNING.
WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON IT AND
HAVE NOTICED OVER THE LAST FEW
DAYS, TRAFFIC HAS STARTED
PICKING UP IN THE EARLY MORNING
HOURS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT TO GET YOU
CAUGHT UP ON INCLUDING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT
REOPENING.
WE BEGIN WITH NEW
INFORMATION ON HOW THIS VIRUS
COMPARES TO THE FLU.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES SAYS
CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS CONTINUE
TO ACCOUNT FOR THE MOST DEATHS,
BUT THEY ARE STILL WARNING, THE
FLU IS ALSO AS DEADLY.
SO FAR THIS SEASON, 185 PEOPLE
HAVE DIED FROM THE FLU.
THAT'S COMPARED TO 507 DEATHS
COMPARED TO THE CORONAVIRUS.
OFFICIALS SAY THE FLU VIRUS IS
A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN FOR
PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER, ESPECIALLY
THOSE WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS.
TODAY, CHARLOTTE MOTOR
SPEEDWAY IS TEAMING UP WITH THE
RED CROSS AND ONE BLOOD FOR A
BLOOD DRIVE.
THE CORONAVIRUS HAS TAKEN A
SERIOUS TOLL ON DONATIONS AND
BLOOD IS URGENTLY NEEDED THIS
MORNING.
FROM 10:00 UNTIL 7:00, YOU CAN
DONATE AT THE SPEEDWAY.
APPOINTMENTS WILL BE HONORED,
BUT WALK-INS ARE WELCOME.
YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A
MASK.
YOU CAN FIND MORE DETAILS ON
WHERE TO GO IN THE WSOCTV NEWS
APP.
IN LESS THAN 12 HOURS FROM
NOW, NORTH CAROLINA WILL BEGIN
THE PROCESS OF REOPENING FOR
BUSINESS.
HERE IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY,
PHASE ONE MEANS YOU'LL BE ABLE
TO START SHOPPING AT CERTAIN
STORES AND GROUPS AS LONG AS
YOU FOLLOW SOCIAL DISTANCING.
WE KNOW SO MANY OF US ARE
ANXIOUS TO GET BACK TO LIFE AS
CLOSE AS POSSIBLE.
BUT BEFORE YOU CAN LOAD UP
THE CAR AND HEAD BACK TO THE
MALL, YOU'LL NEED TO KNOW WHAT
IS EXPECTED OF YOU.
LET'S GET TO REPORTER ANTHONY
KUSTURA WITH WHAT THE PLANS
ARE, WHAT THE RULES ARE, AND
WHAT WE SHOULD DO TO MAKE SURE
WE DON'T SEE ANOTHER SPIKE IN
CASES.
Reporter: WE ARE EXPECTED TO
FOLLOW A SERIES OF RULES, FROM
BIG-BOX STORES TO SHOP SITE IS
IN MYERS PARK.
PHASE ONE BEGINS TONIGHT.
DEPENDING ON HOW WELL THIS GOES
IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, WE COULD
MOVE ON TO PHASE TWO.
MORE ON THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.
FIRST I WANT TO BRING YOU BACK
TO WHAT IT IS ALLOWED TO
REOPEN.
UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER,
PHASE ONE INCLUDES STORES LIKE
HOUSING AND CLOTHING STORES.
THEY CAN ONLY OPERATE AT 50%
CAPACITY, SO YOU MAY HAVE TO
WAIT TO GET INSIDE.
GYMS AND SALONS THAT ARE
ALREADY OPEN WILL BE.
AS PHASE ONE BEGINS TONIGHT,
THE COUNTY PLANS TO EXPAND
TESTING.
THEY WILL LOOK AT MORE GROUPS
INCLUDING PEOPLE AT RISK, LIKE
ANYONE 65 OR OLDER OR PEOPLE
WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS.
THE SECOND GROUP INVOLVES
PEOPLE WITH HIGH RISKS OF
EXPOSURE.
THE LAST GROUP TARGETS
ASTIGMATIC PEOPLE.
DB HARRIS SAYS THEY WILL
MONITOR OTHER METRICS TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE COUNTY IS ON
TRACK.
WE DON'T WANT TO SEE AN
INCREASE IN DEATHS, A PERCENT
POSITIVITY IN HOSPITALIZATIONS.
CURRENTLY, ALL OF THOSE ARE
REMAINING STABLE OR ARE
DECLINING.
Reporter: IF ALL GOES WELL
WITH PHASE ONE, WE COULD SEE
PHASE TWO AS SOON AS MAY 22nd.
THAT WOULD FULLY LIFT THE STAY
AT HOME ORDER, ALLOWING
RESTAURANTS AND SALONS TO OPEN.
FOUR TO SIX WEEKS AFTER THAT IS
PHASE THREE.
THAT MEANS INCREASED CAPACITY
AT CHURCHES.
WE COULD STAY OPEN LONGER IN
THIS PHASE TWO PERIOD, BUT
WEARING FACE MASKS AND WASHING
YOUR HANDS WILL BE CRITICAL.
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT WE
ALL HEED THE GUIDELINES.
SOME MALLS ARE GETTING
READY TO REOPEN THIS WEEKEND.
SIMON OWNS CONCORD MILLS AND
SOUTH PARK MALLS, AND THEIR
DOORS WILL REOPEN TOMORROW.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT ALL OF
THE STORES WILL BE OPEN.
AND THERE ARE RULES TO KEEP
EVERYONE SAFE.
SICK EMPLOYEES WILL STAY AT
HOME.
ALL EMPLOYEES WILL WEAR MASKS
AND GET DAILY TEMPERATURE
CHECKS.
CREWS WILL ALSO BE CLEANING
COMMON AREAS LIKE THE FOOD
COURTS.
A NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH
DIRECTOR IS SOUNDING THE ALARMS
AS THE STATE PREPARES TO
REOPEN.
AN EMAIL FROM CHANNEL 9 SHOWS
THE FRANKLIN COUNTY EMAIL
DIRECTOR EMAILED ALL DIRECTORS
IN THE STATE, WARNING THEM
ABOUT REOPENING SOON.
SCOTT LEVINE WANTS EVERYONE TO
LEARN LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC
OF 1917 TO 1919.
HIS MAJOR FEAR IS TWO WEEKS
FROM NOW, AN ORDER THAT WOULD
ALLOW PLACES LIKE SALONS AND
BARS TO REOPEN.
HE SAYS THE LAST THING HE WANTS
IS A RESURGENCE, AND ALL OF THE
SOCIAL DISTANCING WE HAVE BEEN
DOING WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR
NOTHING.
WHEN YOU OPEN UP AND A LOT
MORE PEOPLE INTERMINGLE, NO
MATTER HOW MANY PERCUSSIONS YOU
TAKE, THERE'S GOING TO BE
SOMETHING.
WE ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH TRACING
TO CATCH ALL OF THAT.
WHILE THE REOPENING IS IN
PHASE ONE AND IS GRADUAL, THE
STAY AT HOME ORDER WILL STAY IN
EFFECT UNTIL MAY 22nd AT THE
EARLIEST.
THE CHANGES GOING INTO
EFFECT LATER TODAY, AS THE
STATE SAW ITS LARGEST SINGLE
DAY INCREASE IN CASES TO DATE.
YESTERDAY, THE STATE REPORTED
639 CASES, BRINGING THE TOTAL
TO 13,000.
TESTING HAS EXPANDED
DRASTICALLY.
529 PEOPLE ARE IN THE HOSPITAL.
IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THERE ARE
MORE THAN NUMERALS 7,100 CASES
STATEWIDE.
U.S. SENATORS ARE LOOKING
FOR NEW WAYS TO TEST MORE
PEOPLE FOR COVID-19.
THEY WANT TO CREATE A PLAN FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES TO TEST
PEOPLE.
THEY WANT THE PROCESS TO BE
SIMILAR TO THE TV SHOW, "SHARK
TANK."
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE MILLIONS OF
TESTS AVAILABLE BY THE END OF
THE SUMMER.
IT IS A $1.5 BILLION INITIATIVE
THAT SOME THINK COULD CHANGE
LIVES.
IT HAS BEEN ASTOUNDING TO
SEE THE WAY PEOPLE HAVE ROLLED
UP THEIR SLEEVES AND PLUNGED
INTO THIS EFFORT TO ADVANCE
THERAPEUTICS AND VACCINES FOR
COVID-19.
LAWMAKERS SAY THERE HAS
ALREADY BEEN INTEREST FROM
HUNDREDS OF ENTREPRENEURS
HOPING TO MAKE A BREAKTHROUGH.
RESTAURANTS ARE MAKING THE
DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO
REOPEN AND HELP.
ONE GASTONIA RESTAURANT OWNER
SAYS THERE IS NO CLEAR TIMELINE
FOR HIS STORES TO REOPEN.
JIM MORRASO OWNS WEBB'S CUSTOM
KITCHEN, A REFURBISHED MOVIE
THEATER AND UPSCALE RESTAURANT.
HE SAYS HE WOULD LOSE MONEY
TRYING TO SERVE FINE DINING OR
TAKE-OUT, OR OPENING ON A
LIMITED BASIS.
HE HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE THE
SHUTDOWN.
THERE IS 110 PEOPLE WHO ARE
YEARNING TO WORK, AND ARE
HURTING DEEPLY TO PROVIDE FOR
THEIR FAMILIES.
IT IS A VERY STRESSFUL TIME.
HE SAID THE STATE HAS NOT
SET A DATE FOR REOPENING THAT
WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR HIS
BUSINESS.
HE BELIEVES THAT IT IS TIME TO
REOPEN ALL BUSINESSES AND LET
THE CUSTOMERS POLICE THEMSELVES
WITH GUIDELINES.
ANYONE GOING INTO A GASTON
COUNTY BUILDING WILL HAVE TO
HAVE THEIR TEMPERATURE CHECKED
FIRST.
YESTERDAY, EMPLOYEES TRAINED ON
HOW TO SCREEN VISITORS WHEN
RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED.
THAT INCLUDES A TEMPERATURE
CHECK AND A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
THOSE WHO PASS WILL GET A
STICKER ALLOWING THEM TO ENTER
INTO THE BUILDING FOR THAT DAY.
ANYONE, INCLUDING EMPLOYEES WHO
FAIL, WILL NEED CLEARANCE FROM
A DOCTOR TO RETURN.
WE CAN'T SAY ENOUGH HOW MUCH
WE APPRECIATE FRONT-LINE HEROES,
BUT CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT THE
STRESS THEY ARE UNDER RIGHT
NOW.
NOVANT HEALTH TOLD US EVEN
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, PHYSICIANS
HAD A 50% HIGHER RATE OF
BURNOUT THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON.
NOVANT MADE CHANGES TO HELP
WORKERS CARING FOR COVID-19
PATIENTS.
WE HAVE A TASK FORCE THAT IS
LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN CHECK IN
REGULARLY WITH THE PEOPLE ON
THE FRONT LINES OF THIS CRISIS,
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DEALING
WITH COVID PATIENTS REGULARLY.
BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, THEY ARE
HUMAN, THEY HAVE EMOTIONS AND
THEY CAN BUILD UP IF YOU START
SEEING PATIENT AFTER PATIENT
AND TRAUMA AFTER TRAUMA.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM A PLACE TO
GET SOME OF THAT UP AND OUT.
NOVANT HEALTH HAS A PROGRAM
CALLED CODE LAVENDER WHICH
ALLOWS MEDICAL PERSONNEL TO
DEBRIEF WITH ONE ANOTHER ABOUT
CASES OR ANYTHING ON THEIR
MINDS TO ALLEVIATE STRESS.
AS WE TOLD YOU A FEW
MINUTES AGO, MORE PEOPLE WILL
BE GETTING BACK TO WORK UNDER
PHASE ONE WHICH STARTS TODAY.
WE KNOW DURING THE SUMMER,
PARENTS ARE TYPICALLY WORKING
AS OUR KIDS GO TO SUMMER CAMP.
WHAT WILL THAT LOOK LIKE?
ACCORDING TO PHASE ONE OF THE
ORDER, SUMMER CAMPS CAN OPEN,
BUT THEY MUST FOLLOW
GUIDELINES.
THERE CAN'T BE SPORTS OR OTHER
ACTIVITIES WITHOUT SOCIAL
DISTANCING, AND NO OVERNIGHT
CAMPS RIGHT NOW.
WE SPOKE WITH THE YMCA OF
GREATER CHARLOTTE.
A REPRESENTATIVE SAYS THEY ARE
EXCITED THAT CAMP WILL HAPPEN,
BUT IT WILL LOOK DIFFERENT.
WE WILL OPERATE AT HALF
CAPACITY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
SOCIAL DISTANCING.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE EVALUATING
OUR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO, AND
REALLY LOOKING TO SEE WHAT WE
CAN AND CAN'T OFFER SO WE CAN
GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO OUR
FAMILIES.
AND THEY ARE NOT ALONE.
BETHLEHEM CENTER OF CHARLOTTE