RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting the state’s highest one-day number of COVID-19 cases with 3,119 cases reported.
Other key metrics also increased with hospitalizations at 1,246, and the percent of tests that were positive climbing to 7.9%.
“This is not the milestone we want to be hitting, particularly as we head into holidays where people want to come together," said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. "I am asking North Carolinians to do what they do best, look out for each other. Wear a mask. Wait six feet apart. Wash your hands often. We’ve had more time to learn about this devastating virus and study after study shows that these three simple actions can help keep our family, friends and neighbors from getting sick."
On Tuesday, Governor Roy Cooper announced that North Carolina’s indoor mass gathering limit will be lowered to 10 people in an effort to drive down COVID-19 metrics. Executive Order 176 will go into effect on Friday, November 13, and will be in place through Friday, December 4.
Health officials said these trends are particularly concerning with the holidays coming up.
This Thanksgiving, health officials are discouraging large family gatherings, urging people to keep holiday festivities small. The safest option, many health officials say, is being with people who live in the same household.
But not everyone will follow this guidance.
Thanksgiving is usually a time for families to gather around the table and share what they're grateful for, but this year is different.
"No gathering is totally safe unless it's just with the people under your own roof," said Joseph Khabbaza, a critical care medicine specialist with Cleveland Clinic.
North Carolina health guidance encourages people to avoid contact with others outside their household for 14 days before the gathering.
If people do travel for the holiday, health officials recommend getting a COVID-19 screening test beforehand.
"As we know, a screening test is by no means perfect, but it can catch some people who have the virus and don't have symptoms yet," said Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Doctors say holding gatherings outdoors is preferred and social distancing should still be followed and make sure to wear a mask.
Doctors said it may be tough to enforce these guidelines with family members but it's for their own safety.
"I don't think you'll ever regret being extra cautious in the middle of a pandemic," Khabbaza said. "The regret can only occur if a loved one gets very sick as a result of your gathering."
Of course, the safest way to gather with people outside your household this year is to do it virtually.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and 2020 has been an unusual year with a global pandemic upending summer and now fall and winter holiday plans.
For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidance and steps for Americans to take to safely celebrate Thanksgiving.
The CDC says its guidance is meant to supplement, but not replace any state or local health and safety laws.
Quick Tips
WASH YOUR HANDS often and with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. The CDC says this should be done after someone has been in a public place, after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water aren't available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol will work just as well.
The CDC encourages everyone to continue wearing cloth masks in public and to continue practicing social distancing. It recommends everyone to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet or more from people you don’t live with.
If anyone thinks they have been exposed during a holiday event, they should take extra precautions like staying home as much as possible for 14 days, avoid being around people and consider getting tested for the coronavirus.
Holiday Gatherings
The first step to help reduce the spread of the virus is to "assess current COVID-19 levels in your community to determine whether to postpone, cancel, or limit the number of attendees," the CDC said.
Health officials recommend celebrating virtually or only with family members, which poses only a low risk of spreading the virus.
People who shouldn't attend a Thanksgiving gathering this year include those with or exposed to the coronavirus and people who have an increased risk for severe illness. The CDC explains that large gatherings of families and friends, crowded parties and travel may put people at increased risk for COVID-19.
If someone is hosting a Thanksgiving gathering, even amid the virus, the CDC asks that people consider the following steps to keep everyone safe:
- Host outdoor activities rather than indoor activities
- Try and limit guests to just people in the local area
- Limit the number of guests as much as possible
- Encourage guests to wear masks and use hand sanitizer
- Ask guests to "strictly avoid contact with people outside of their households for 14 days before the gathering"
If someone develops COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive after a gathering, they should immediately contact the host and others that attended the event.
Food and Drink Safety Tips
Right now, there is no evidence that suggests handling food or eating is associated with spreading the respiratory disease, according to the CDC. However, COVID-19 could spread if someone touches a surface or object, including food, food packaging or utensils where respiratory droplets have landed then they touch their face, nose or mouth.
The CDC released a list of suggestions for people to have good hygiene to reduce the risk of spreading germs around food and drinks:
- Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Instead of potluck, encourage everyone to have their own drinks and food
- Limit people around the food preparation area
- Wear a mask while preparing food or serving others
- Use single-use options or identify one person to serve sharable items
- Avoid any self-serve food or drink options
Travel Safety Tips
The CDC said traveling can increase someone's chance of contracting the coronavirus. It said, "staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others."
It asks that people don't travel if they're sick, or if they've been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days. While traveling, the CDC highly recommends everyone wear a mask on public transportation, planes, trains, ships, ferries, taxis and rideshares.
It said airports, bus stations, train stations, and rest stops are all places travelers can be exposed to the virus in the air and on surfaces.
Low-Risk Thanksgiving Activities
The CDC released a list of low-risk activities that families can follow to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
- Having a small dinner with only people who live in your household
- Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others
- Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family
- Shopping online rather than in person on the day after Thanksgiving or the next Monday
- Watching sporting events, parades, and movies from home
Moderate-Risk Thanksgiving Activities
Here's the CDC's list of moderate risk Thanksgiving activities that have more potential to spread the virus:
- Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community
- Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
- Attending small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place
High-Risk Thanksgiving Activities
According to the CDC, these activities around Thanksgiving could increase someone's chances of becoming infected by the coronavirus:
- Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving
- Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race
- Attending crowded parades
- Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors
- Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household