The home of Asheville FM, WSFM-LP 103.3
by KP Whaley
Dealing with stay-at-home orders, loss of a job, and loss of community is difficult for all of us. But for those folks in recovery from addiction it is especially difficult. This week we talked about the issue with Sue Polston, Executive Director of Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness. Listen to the full interview here:
by KP Whaley
Now that school is officially using remote learning for the remainder of this school year, we discussed what it means for children and families in WNC with Michelle Vruwink of The Franklin School of Innovation and Brady Rochford of Francine Delany New School For Children.
As of today April 27th, there are 51 confirmed cases in Buncombe County and 3 deaths. There are 8, 623 confirmed cases in the state of North Carolina and 289 confirmed deaths statewide.
A reminder that many popular places in Pisgah National Forest remain closed, as does much of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Western North Carolina. Also closed, until at least May 8, is the Big Bradley Falls Trail in the Green River Gamelands in Polk County.
When Will North Carolina Open:
The stay-at-home order will extend through May 8, Gov. Roy Cooper announced April 23.
Based on the requirements Cooper set out, NC would have to see improvements in COVID-19 trends — including cases reported, hospitalization and death rates — to consider reopening May 9.
Cooper spelled out a three-stage approach North Carolina will use to gradually ease restrictions once trends improve.
Roy Cooper announced at an April 24 press conference that North Carolina’s public schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year as part of an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
By doing this, North Carolina joins 41 other states, three U.S. territories and the District of Columbia that have ordered or recommended that school buildings be closed for the rest of the academic year, according to Education Week. The closures are affecting around 43 million students.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article242260041.html
Phases to Slowly Reopen NC:
Phase 1
Phase 2 – can only begin 2-3 weeks after Phase 1 begins
Phase 3 – can only begin 4-6 weeks after Phase 2 begins
Other Western North Carolina COVID-19 Cases and Stats:
The only counties in the state that have reported zero COVID-19 cases include Graham, Yancey, Avery, Hyde, and Camden Counties.
https://wlos.com/news/local/nc-covid-19-saturday-update
As of April 24, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services counts 8,052 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the state. That’s an increase of 444 cases since the April 23 numbers were released.
NCDHHS tallies 269 deaths statewide, up 16 deaths for an increase of 6.3%.
Buncombe County reported 51 lab-confirmed positive cases as of April 23. Three people have died in Buncombe County from COVID-19.
At a press conference, April 23 Governor Roy Cooper extended the Stay-at-home order through Friday, May 8, more than a week beyond its previous expiration of Wednesday, April 29.
“It’s important to get our economy moving forward. We’re helping with unemployment payments, stimulus money and the businesses that continue to be open,” Cooper said. “But I won’t risk the health of our people or our hospitals. And easing these restrictions now would do that.”
He also provided a detailed plan outlining three phases of how North Carolina might reopen once May 8 had passed. Restrictions would be progressively lifted over three phases, each lasting multiple weeks, dependent on COVID-19 trends.
But first, the state must meet certain benchmarks for the state to enter the first phase of eased restrictions, such as:
Phase 1
Phase 2 – can only begin 2-3 weeks after Phase 1 begins
Phase 3 – can only begin 4-6 weeks after Phase 2 begins
At an April 23 press conference, the county’s emergency preparedness coordinator, Fletcher Tove said that Buncombe County developed, in partnership with the Asheville-based N.C. Institute for Climate Studies, an online symptom checker that would be available to county residents on the county website starting Monday, April 27. Tove noted that the tool would be available in English, Spanish and Russian. The tool can then recommend the next steps, including self-isolation and contacting a health provider. It will also direct a county public health nurse to follow up with the user about how symptoms improve or worsen over time.
The checker will also gather demographic and zip code information to help Buncombe officials gain a better picture of the disease’s prevalence in the community.
Residents without internet access, he said, could call the county’s Ready Team call center at 828-419-0095 to be guided through the symptom checker by phone.
Last week, Buncombe County, in coordination with the Asheville Fire Department, launched a new online emergency response program during the coronavirus pandemic, that has the potential to help residents during the ongoing emergency.
This newly launched opt-in program, Community Connect, will allow residents to create accounts and provide first responders with potentially life-saving information, as well as important information to protect the responders, such as if someone in the residence has coronavirus.
The user-friendly platform asks questions such as the number of family members, pets, special needs or medical conditions, home layout, shut-off locations for utilities and emergency contacts.The platform also includes an option for COVID-19 self-reporting, which feeds into the national COVID-19 reporting system and can help first responders know in advance if someone in the household has tested positive or is considered high risk for the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
In order to keep information up to date, participants will receive email reminders about every six months to check that their information is still accurate.
https://mountainx.com/news/from-cpp-buncombe-launches-online-emergency-platform-during-pandemic/
Roy Cooper announced at an April 24 press conference that North Carolina’s public schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year as part of an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
By doing this, North Carolina joins 41 other states, three U.S. territories and the District of Columbia that have ordered or recommended that school buildings be closed for the rest of the academic year, according to Education Week. The closures are affecting around 43 million students.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article242260041.html
by KP Whaley
There are a number of community members and groups responding to the many needs the coronavirus pandemic and stay at home orders are creating. Earlier this week we spoke with Emmanuel Lutheran Church in West Asheville, who are providing food for many families now facing food insecurity because of the mass of joblessness. Listen to the interview here:
As of this morning on April 20, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services counts 6,764 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the state. That’s an increase of 271 cases since the April 19 numbers were released. NCDHHS tallies 179 deaths statewide, up 7 deaths since April 19.
Buncombe County reported 47 lab-confirmed positive cases as of April 17. Three people have died in Buncombe County from COVID-19.
Buncombe County food stamp applications are up 1,000%. An unprecedented number of unemployment insurance applications has brought North Carolina’s online application portal down. Many Western North Carolinians are turning to Food and Nutrition Services, formerly known as food stamps, to feed themselves and their families.
Thirteen people have died in Henderson County due to complications surrounding COVID-19. NCDHHS says there are currently four ongoing outbreaks in congregate living facilities in Henderson County as of April 20— three in nursing homes and one in a residential facility. In congregate living settings an outbreak is defined as two or more laboratory-confirmed cases in the same facility.
Ashville citizens flooded the City Council with calls to open hotels to the homeless and others in need during the COVID-19 outbreak. Officials say that could lead to more infections. Instead, the city is housing 50 people in Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville. In extreme cases, people without homes can stay in hotels, officials said, along with medical and public safety workers. Half of the council’s hour-long April 14 meeting consisted of phoned-in public comments and responses by officials. Thirteen of the 14 prerecorded callers spoke on the topic of hotels, saying they should be open to the homeless or other people left vulnerable.
At the request of Mayor Esther Manheimer, Assistant City Manager Cathy Ball said that medical and public safety personnel can stay in hotels at a “significantly reduced rate” that’s paid by the nonprofit Dogwood Health Trust, which uses money from the sale of Mission Hospital. Local officials explored having people without homes stay in hotels, Ball said, but it wasn’t recommended by Interim County Health Director Dr. Jennifer Mullendore.
“It’s purely a voluntary program. So anybody can come in and leave,” the assistant city manager told the Associated Press. “So being able to monitor and check medical stats and temperatures where people were in hotel rooms became very problematic. It was also problematic to be able to monitor to make sure people were not gathering in those rooms in significant numbers.”
Officials have opted for the Harrah’s Cherokee Center, where volunteers are more easily able to monitor the health of occupants. Ball said if someone who is homeless is suspected to have COVID-19, they are quarantined in a hotel while they await test results.
Steady Collective Mobile Outreach:
Firestorm Books & COOP: Tues, 4/20/20, 1:30pm-4:00pm
Haywood St. Congregation: Weds, 4//21/20, 10:30am-12:00pm
AHOPE: Fri, 10:00am-12:00pm, 4/24/20
Pisgah View (across from community center): Fri, 5/1/20, 12:00pm-1:30pm
(Updated 4/20/20)
* Syringes for intravenous & intramuscular (steroids, hormones, insulin) use
Asheville Humane Society’s Community Solutions Program can help with pet care. They already deliver pet food to Haywood Congregation and AHOPE and are looking to most effectively distribute other supplies to those in higher need during Covid-19. Call 828-761-2008 or email [email protected] for more information on the following programs:
Pet food/supply assistance
Temporary re-homing
Low-cost spay/neuter
Low-cost vaccinations
Pet behavior help
Pet-friendly housing guide
Re-homing
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals (ASPCAA)- Call their Hotline @ 1-800-738-9437, between 8am-8pm. Pick-up is drive-thru only; Do not arrive early; Do not bring your pets; call hotline if you are running late. Have someone else pick up your order if you are experiencing symptoms of Coronavirus. (Updated 4/14/20)
Emmanuel Lutheran Church is conducting a “Drive Up/Open Trunk” Food Bank for any community member in need. They will be open from 12pm to 2pm on Sunday. Drive to the back of the church and open your trunk. They have fruits, vegetables, dry goods, meats, eggs, etc. Donations from the Manna Food Bank, ALDI’s and others makes this possible.