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Cornelius News

COVID update: Return to classrooms still up in the air

April 6. By Dave Yochum. Every day that goes by during the COVID-19 crisis, the chances of returning to school are slimmer, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Board Member Rhonda Cheek said this morning.

The Davidson resident said CMS is providing 22,000 to 27,000 meals per day for “nutritionally fragile” children who are learning from home since schools. On March 23, Gov. Roy Cooper announced all public schools in North Carolina will remain closed until May 15.

Cheek was speaking at a live meeting on Zoom hosted by Cornelius Mayor Woody Washam. The non-partisan discussion included NC Sen. Natasha Marcus and NC Rep. Christy Clark, as well as US Sen. Thom Tillis and Mecklenburg County Commissioner George Dunlap.

CHEEK

We are in the midst of a statewide shutdown that may be slowing the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. Washam said it is no time to relax or look for ways to get around the stay-at-home order.

“This is serious business,” he said. There are now 733 Mecklenburg County residents with COVID-19—up from 333 on Monday last week, according to the Mecklenburg County Dept. of Health. The county, with about 1.3 million residents, has had six COVID-related deaths.

Atrium and Novant have asked the County to create a 3,000-bed “field hospital” in UNCC dormitories, according to Mecklenburg County Commissioner Pat Cotham. The county board will get an update on the proposal tomorrow.

“I will be interested to hear why the county and the state are being asked to fund it and how much do they estimate that to be. I also appreciate UNCC offering their vacant dormitories to respond to the community need,” Cotham said.

COTHAM

Tillis, who said he has had two friends pass away due to COVID-19, pointed out that North Carolina started later in the cycle than states like New York, New Jersey and Michigan, hence our number of hospitalizations will peak later than those states.

He encouraged local businesses to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) www.sba.gov/disaster and www.sba.gov/coronavirus.

Marcus said the state does not have enough ventilators for the pandemic which is expected to peak in North Carolina later this month. She mentioned that self-employed and “gig workers” currently do not qualify for unemployment in North Carolina, which will be remedied by the federal stimulus package that expands the eligibility rules. Marcus has a Q&A on the COVID crisis.

MARCUS

Clark said the state has added 150 people to manage the jobless filings that have inundated the unemployment processing system. Pending a legislative change, the rules around DMV and Notary remain the same. Clark said she is taking extra measures to sanitize pens and her stamp when she Notarizes a document. Court matters are delayed until June 2, she said, advising that residents take special care to only venture out for necessities.

Dunlap said Mecklenburg County is an epicenter of COVID-19 Mecklenburg has more than double the number of COVID-19 cases reported in Wake County, according to NC DHHS data.

Click here for the NC DHHS info page.

Statewide, there are nearly 2,900 cases, and the number is climbing, yet people are still meeting, including some churches. Dunlap expressed deep concerns and emphasized the importance of staying at home, and wearing a mask.

Clark

Town Manager Andrew Grant said the town has transitioned to virtual meetings, with citizens able to comment or ask questions via townofcornelius@cornelius.org.

People wishing to volunteer can find information at charmeckresponds.org