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Survey: Doctors say they'd steer clear of most indoor activities as COVID cases increase

In a two-week period, the state's case count increased by 197% from about 5,400 cases the week ending July 16 to more than 16,000 this seven-day period.

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By
Ali Ingersoll
, WRAL investigative data journalist

Masks are going back on, sanitizer is at the ready and shots are being mandated for some. These are all measures being taken as the COVID-19 case count is trending upward once again.

In a two-week period, the state’s case count increased by 197% from about 5,400 cases the week ending July 16 to more than 16,000 this seven-day period.

While Gov. Roy Cooper hasn’t imposed limitations on capacity at any venues, healthcare professionals from Duke and UNC responded to an informal survey from WRAL News. We wanted to know what they're comfortable doing now as cases are surging.

The group was comprised of fully vaccinated doctors and medical researchers.

  • Would you eat indoors in a restaurant?
    • 66.6% no
  • Would you eat outdoors at a restaurant?
    • 100% yes
  • Would you go to a movie theater?
    • 83% no
  • Would you go to an event at PNC Arena?
    • 100% no
  • Would you go to a concert at Red Hat or Walnut Creek?
    • 50% no, 33% "it depends", 17% yes
  • This isn't the first time we asked these questions to this same group. The biggest change came in outdoor dining. Before, it was evenly split. Now, each person reports feeling safe and comfortable, noting that tables do tend to be socially distanced.

    Those working in the hospital systems said, as vaccinated individuals, this is how they're behaving right now. As for those unvaccinated, they don't feel any of the activities are safe give the current state of COVID spread in the community.

    "I'm working in the hospital seeing too many unvaccinated (mostly young) people who are critically ill," said Dr. Tom Holland with Duke. "If you're unvaccinated, now is not the time to be out doing optional things in public spaces. It is the time to go get vaccinated. It's not too late!"

    In addition to asking about activities, every healthcare professional who replied to our survey told us they support vaccine mandates for people in their field. They'd support the same requirement for teachers and school support staff as well as prison staff members.
    Dr. David Weber, the medical director of hospital epidemiology at UNC, is the lead author of a paper on COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment for healthcare workers. In addition to healthcare workers, Weber suggested military members and airline attendants also be require to get vaccinated as a condition of employment.

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