MECKLENBURG COUNTY — Harvard University is now warning Mecklenburg County that it needs to have a stay-at-home order in place again or risk losing control of the virus. The university has been tracking the virus (map below), saying the county is at a tipping point as case numbers continue to rise.
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Researchers said states and jurisdictions in the red have “reached a tipping point for the uncontrolled spread and will require the use of stay-at-home orders and/or advisories to mitigate the disease.”
The areas designated as red have had 25 or more daily new cases per 100,000 people over seven days.
Channel 9 pulled the latest data from Mecklenburg County. It showed a 15% spike in cases in just seven days from June 24 to June 30.
Channel 9′s Tina Terry spent Monday checking with county officials to see what they are doing to stop the trend. Officials said they are taking the numbers seriously but didn’t give any indication they were considering another stay-at-home order.
In an email, county officials said they are aware of the map from the researchers at Harvard. They said percent positives and the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to increase. They are concerned about the numbers and continue to monitor the trends.
But for now, county leaders plan to stick with the state’s order rather than implement their own.
“We continue to be under the governor’s order and work with our community to wear masks, socially distance and wash hands,” officials said.
Some people Monday said they would be OK with going back to a stay-at-home order in the county.
“I think we should do whatever we can to stay safe and decrease these numbers so they aren’t increasing,” resident Lisa Manzione said.
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Coronavirus testing a stress threat for athletic budgets
Colleges might have to pay into the hundreds of thousands of dollars to have their football players and other athletes tested for coronavirus.
Many athletic departments already are in financial binds because of declines in state funding and student fees stemming from the pandemic.
[ FAQ: Everything you need to know about NC’s mask, face-covering mandate ]
In June, Clemson’s athletic department had given 430 tests with 47 people diagnosed with the virus. Clemson officials said 37 of those people who tested positive were from their football team.
Especially hard hit are the small-budget schools on the lower end of the Football Bowl Subdivision.
[ ALSO READ: Clemson has 14 more football players test positive for COVID-19 ]
Methods are being developed that would allow multiple athletes to be tested simultaneously. That would provide some cost savings.
An individual coronavirus test now runs about $100.
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