Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, says being in a large crowd puts you at higher risk for contracting coronavirus, so get tested for it afterward.
THE LATE >>> THE COVID-19 DIAGNOSIS FOR THE PRESIDENT SHOWS A THE SAME TIME DOES A RISE IN NORTH CAROLINA'S CURRENT TOTAL. IT IS A CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT TIME RIGHT NOW. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR REACTION THAT THE PRESIDENT TESTED POSITIVE. IF HE CAN TEST POSITIVE, ANYONE CAN? >> FIRST, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON. I DO WISH THE PRESIDENT AND THE FIRST LADY A FULL AND SPEEDY RECOVERY. WE KNOW THAT VIRUS IS VERY CONTAGIOUS. AND IT CAN BE VERY SEVERE FOR SOME. AND CAUSE DEATH IN OTHERS. SO WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY. AS A REMINDER THAT ANYONE CAN GET THIS VIRUS. AND WE NEED TO PRACTICE THE 3W'S. WEARING A FACE COVERING, BEING SIX FEET APART AND WASHING HANDS. >> THE PRESIDENT VISITED HERE THIS WEEK IS THE STATE ADVISING THOSE WHO MAY HAVE ATTENDED TO GET TESTED. WHAT KIND OF FEAR SHOULD THEY HAVE? MAYBE FEARS A BAD WORD. WHAT KIND OF CONCERN SHOULD THEY HAVE ABOUT BEING IN THE SERIOUS? >> WE ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE FOLKS SHOULD GET TESTED IF THEY HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS. AND MEMBER THAT'S COUGH, FEVER, CHANGE IN SMELL OR TASTE DEFINITELY GET TESTED. PROCESSING GET TESTED IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED. AND CERTAINLY GOING TO EVENTS WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE GATHERING CLOSELY TOGETHER WITHOUT MASKS THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT SOMEONE TO BE TESTED FOR. WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING TESTED IF THEY WORK IN THE HIGH RISK INDUSTRIES LIKE A GROCERY STORE. TESTING IS AVAILABLE WIDELY ACROSS THE STATE. MORE THAN 600 SITES ARE GETTING THOSE TEST RESULTS TURN AROUND PRETTY QUICKLY. SO WE DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GET TESTED. >> DO YOU HAVE ADVICE MOVING FORWARD FOR THESE CAMPAIGN EVENTS? >> WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR ON WHAT WE KNOW CAN SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS. THAT IS WHY WE WOULD LIKE MASKS WORK HERE. WHEN THEY'RE NOT WITH ANYONE FROM THEIR IMMEDIATE HOUSEHOLD, WITH THE EXTENDED FAMILY AND CLOSE FRIENDS WE'VE SEEN THE VIRAL SPREAD. IT'S NOT JUST LARGE GROUPS YOU TO THINK ABOUT ALL SETTINGS IN WHICH YOU MIGHT BE EXPOSED TO COVID-19. AND AGAIN YOU COULD HAVE COVID- 19 AND NOT KNOW IT. YOU COULD HAVE MORE HERE. MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER REMINDING EVERYONE TO WEAR A FACE COVERING AND WASH HER HANDS. >> WE GIVE THOSE NUMBERS HERE. ANY SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT ALLOWING THESE BUSINESSES TO REOPEN? >> WE ARE USING THESE THESE ARE THE SAME CORE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT. IT DOES TAKE EFFORT. WE ARE LOOKING FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD WE NEED TO WAIT SIX FEET OF PART WASH HANDS AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS. WE CAN EASE THOSE FOR THE RESTRICTIONS. BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING THE HARD WORK OF THOSE 3W'S. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND JOINING US WITH THE INSIGHT
