GREENSBORO, N.C. — WFMY News 2 is providing daily coronavirus updates with the latest information from emergency leaders, the state's task force, health departments, universities, school districts and a lot more.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1
9:30 p.m. - Starting Monday, April 6, the city will suspend a variety of non-essential city services in response to the continued spread of the COVID-19 virus in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
Under the city’s Level 3 response plan, the following services and city functions will be suspended until further notice:
· Bulky item collection (announced on Monday).
· Yard cart collection.
· Brush and limb collection.
· Mowing and landscaping.
· Litter collection.
· Proactive housing and environmental code enforcement.
· Routine street & drainage maintenance (emergency work will continue to be performed).
· A variety of administrative and support functions.
· On- and off-street parking enforcement.
8:45 p.m. - Drive-up food pantry happening Thursday, April 2 at 11:00 a.m. at Evangel Fellowship Word Ministries.
The church is located at 2207 East Cone Boulevard in Greensboro.
8:30 p.m. - The North Carolina Department of Public Safety reports a 60-year-old inmate at the Caledonia Correctional Complex in Tillery has tested positive for coronavirus.
8:00 p.m. - The NCWorks Career Center is holding an event for individuals who need assistance with applying for Unemployment Insurance Benefits.
Tuesday, April 7, 2020, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Davie County Public Library
371 N. Main Street, Mocksville, NC 27028
6:39 p.m. - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) announced it is waiving member cost-sharing – including deductibles, co-payments, and coinsurance – for treatments related to COVID-19 if a member is diagnosed with the virus.
This action is in addition to other measures the company has already put in place to help members afford and access care during the COVID-19 public health crisis.
Blue Cross NC will also work to shield members from balance billing and will work with providers to ensure access to affordable care during this crisis. Blue Cross NC encourages out-of-network providers to accept our payment in full and to work together to shield North Carolinians from financial harm.
The member cost-share waiver of COVID-19 related treatments applies to all fully insured, State Health Plan, and Medicare members. Self-funded employer groups will be given the option to apply these changes to their employees’ plans.
The member cost-share waivers for COVID-19 related treatments are effective immediately through June 1, 2020.
Blue Cross NC has also put several other measures into place to help members during the COVID-19 public health emergency:
- Expanding Coverage for Virtual Care Visits
Virtual doctor visits will be covered the same as face-to-face visits according to a member’s health plan. Virtual visits include appointments with primary care providers, specialists, behavioral health providers, and any North Carolina licensed providers who can provide services via secure video or telephone. This applies to all members. Blue Cross NC strongly encourages people to seek virtual care whenever possible. This will save lives by preventing the spread of disease, and reduce the strain on our hospitals, emergency rooms, and urgent care centers. - Waiving out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 testing
Blue Cross NC will provide coverage and waive cost-sharing (including deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance) for COVID-19 testing or for a doctor visit or call to determine if testing is necessary. Specifically, there will be no member cost-share for COVID-19 testing or screenings to determine if a testing is needed through virtual care visits, outpatient office visits, urgent care visits and ER visits. This applies to fully-insured, State Health Plan, and Medicare Advantage plans offered or administered by Blue Cross NC, including Experience Health. Blue Cross NC is consulting with self-insured employer groups with regard to revising their benefits. - Increasing access to medications
Blue Cross NC is waiving early medication refill limits. This way, members can have the medicines they need on hand. Members can ask their doctor to order a 90-day prescription of your maintenance medication(s) for ongoing conditions or needs and ask for these to be mail-ordered for delivery. State and federal laws, formulary and quantity limits, and prior authorizations regarding prescriptions will still apply. This change applies to all Blue Cross NC card holders.
6:35 p.m. - Greensboro Transit Agency has announced another change in bus service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beginning Thursday, April 2, GTA will continue to operate on an hourly schedule and move from 16 to a combined 7 routes usually offered on Sundays. The new service hours are Monday - Friday 5:15 am to 8:30 pm, Saturday 6 am to 8 pm and Sunday 6 am to 6 pm. This service level will remain in effect until further notice.
To view the Sunday service maps, visit RideGTA.com, click on Routes, then GTA Sunday Routes. Sunday routes are numbered 21 through 27. Fares remain free until further notice.
5:45 p.m. - A person has died in Rockingham County from the coronavirus.
Rockingham County Health leaders said the patient was in their 60’s and had several underlying medical conditions.
5:30 p.m. - President Trump and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force give an update on COVID-19.
5:16 p.m. - Davidson County Public Library suspended curbside pick-up and closed book drops at each of their five locations in Lexington, Thomasville, North Davidson, Denton, and West Davidson effective March 30 at 5 p.m.
5:04 p.m. - HanesBrands has donated 6,500 N95 respirator masks to hospitals and first responders in Forsyth County.
The company donated 2,500 masks to both Forsyth Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and 500 each to the Winston-Salem Police Department, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department and Winston-Salem Fire Department.
“First and foremost, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation to medical professionals and first responders around the globe for their tireless efforts in providing critical care while facing great personal risk during the pandemic,” said HanesBrands Chief Executive Officer Gerald W. Evans Jr. “Our company and employees are honored to do all that we can to support and protect those fighting COVID-19 on the front lines.”
4:30 p.m. - The Davidson County Health Department says they received word of 16 new cases of COVID-19 in the county on Wednesday.
This brings the total confirmed cases in the county to 41.
4:00 p.m. - Surry County Schools to increase pay for school nutrition employees.
Surry County Schools will utilize COVID-19 Supplemental Funds allotted to increase pay for school nutrition employees on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic by paying those employees time and one-half for hours worked effective April 1 to April 30, 2020.
3:55 p.m. - Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro issue new prohibitions.
These measures regulate behavior in public environments, particularly retail stores. The measures also prohibit hotels and other short-term lodging businesses from renting rooms to out-of-town and out-of-state guests.
The updated State of Emergency Declaration now requires that patrons practice prescribed behaviors while shopping in retail establishments. The required behaviors are:
• Only one individual per family should enter a retail store to shop;
• A child should not accompany a parent into a retail store if there is a person of suitable age available to supervise the child elsewhere;
• Social distancing must be maintained at all times inside a retail store or parking lot;
• Shoppers must follow signs and directions posted by stores to enable social distancing;
• Shoppers must wait for preceding customers to check out before placing their items on the check-out counter or conveyor.
The two towns will also now prohibit hotels and other short-term lodging establishments from renting rooms to out-of-town or out-of-state guests. Guests currently staying, or guests with an established pattern of visitation and who are known to hotel staff are exempted. Town leaders consulted with leaders from the local hospitality industry prior to implementing this measure.
These latest measures are being put into place to limit the opportunities for transmission of the virus in public spaces where spread could occur, and to prevent additional cases being introduced from outside the region.
The State of Emergency will be in place through April 30, 2020.
2 p.m. - NC Department of Health and Human Services officials provide coronavirus update.
11:36 a.m. - The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports there are 1,584 positive cases of coronavirus statewide and nine coronavirus-related deaths.
9:32 a.m. - The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office confirmed one of its deputies has died. Deputy Sypraseuth “Bud” Phouangphrachanh, 43, died from complications with the coronavirus, according to the department.
FACTS NOT FEAR
Remember facts, not fear when talking about the coronavirus. You should take the same measures recommended by health leaders to prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses. That means washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, and covering coughs and sneezes.
WHERE YOU GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS IS IMPORTANT
It is important to make sure the information you are getting about the coronavirus is coming directly from reliable sources like the CDC and NCDHHS. Be careful not to spread misinformation about coronavirus on social media.
NC CORONAVIRUS HOTLINE
The state also has a special hotline set up where you can call 2-1-1 or 866-462-3821 for more information on the coronavirus. You can also submit questions online at ncpoisoncontrol.org or select chat to talk with someone about the virus.
You can also text keyword VIRUS to WFMY News 2 at 336-379-5775 to find out more information.
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