‘Stay vigilant’: Cooper hopes to start Phase 1 of reopening NC next week

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina is getting closer to reopening.

Gov. Roy Cooper announced at a news conference Thursday that he remains optimistic that the trends the state is seeing concerning COVID-19 will be stable enough to start Phase 1 of his 3-phase plan next week.

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“We remain optimistic the trends will be stable enough to move us into Phase 1 next week. My message today is to stay vigilant," Cooper said.

The latest data is mixed, so the governor said it’s crucial people continue to follow the stay-at-home guidelines. The better the trends, the sooner the state can start easing restrictions.

“Complacency could risk lives and undo these plans,” he said.

The governor unveiled his plan to reopen North Carolina’s economy in phases last week when he extended the state’s stay-at-home order to May 8.

“The three-phase plan is like a dimmer switch, letting us gradually lift restrictions so that we can get moving again without a dangerous spike in infections,” he said.

Phase 1 means North Carolina would be under a modified stay-at-home order, more businesses could open with social distancing guidelines, parks could reopen and gatherings would be limited to ten people.

The phased plan is based on expanded tracing and testing and declining case growth, which he said are showing signs of progress, but aren’t there yet.

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“Right now some are on track but there are some potential warning signs. That being said North Carolinians have made tremendous sacrifices and it’s working. By looking out for your health you are making a difference,” Cooper said.

According to the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Mandy Cohen, the state saw its highest daily increase in new cases Thursday with 561 in 24 hours.

North Carolina has also topped 10,000 cases, but there are signs of hope. Positive tests are decreasing in terms of percentages.

Cohen said percentages matter because with an increase in testing, an increase in positive cases is expected, but the important trend to watch is the percentage of tests that are positive and the state is trending well in that department.

There are four trends state leaders are watching -- people coming to the ER with COVID-like symptoms, new confirmed cases in North Carolina, the number of positive tests as a percentage of total tests, and the number of hospitalizations.

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Cooper has made it clear that he would like to see North Carolina meet certain milestones before we move into Phase 1.

Here is where North Carolina stands as of Thursday:

1. People coming to the ER with COVID-like symptoms has gone up over the last 7 days after decreasing. The percent is level, but seeing it go up is not ideal.
2. New confirmed cases in North Carolina have increased with 561 new cases.
3. The number of positive tests as a percentage of total tests is going down.
4. The number of hospitalizations is leveling.

“If we put these all together overall these trends are mixed, but we remain optimistic that these trends will be stable enough to move into phase one next week,” Cohen said.

Testing and contact tracing are also increasing, which is good but Cohen said they are still having issues with gowns and N95 masks. There’s less than a 30-day supply.

Cooper said if the state begins to ease restrictions and people don’t feel safe, it won’t work.

In order for North Carolina to reopen successfully, he believes there has to be a trust that they can feel safe while shopping and working -- and that’s why officials are going to continue to depend on the science and facts to guide the way.

Cooper also said there is an experimental drug being tested at the University of North Carolina that shows promise of easing COVID-19 symptoms.

If the state continues on-trend, North Carolina could start to reopen as early as next Saturday.

Channel 9′s Joe Bruno also asked County Health Director Gibbie Harris if Mecklenburg County will be ready to open since it’s the county with the most positive COVID-19 cases in the state.

“Their belief at the state level is as long as our trends are staying stable or decreasing that we will be ready to move into Phase 1. And that is what we are seeing in Mecklenburg County right now so I feel confident unless there is some drastic change in the next couple of days, which we don’t anticipate that we will be ready to move into Phase 1 next week,” said Harris.

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