GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — COVID-19 numbers are trending upward across much of the country. The CDC reports nationwide infections and hospitalizations are increasing.
The CDC still reports Guilford County community levels as low, but COVID-19 trends are showing an increase in the number of people getting positive test results. The latest report shows the county sitting at 17.2% positive.
We've seen evidence of that here in Guilford County as well. Guilford County's latest reports show the percent positive is more than triple the county's goal. It sounds alarming, but experts said it's nothing like previous spikes.
Dr. Cynthia Snider with Cone Health said the increases in cases are jumping up, but she doesn't think it will get as high as we've seen in the past.
As for local businesses, they said they have learned how to handle whatever comes their way.
"It's just constantly trying to figure out how to re-figure out how to run the business," owner of Machete in Greensboro Tal Blevins said.
Making plans and changing them is now a regular part of life. With the number of COVID-19 positive cases increasing again, businesses are doing just that.
"We always tell the staff, hey whatever you feel comfortable with now, even if there isn't a mask mandate, if you wanna wear a mask, if we want to talk about it as a group, especially as numbers go up," Blevins said.
Blevins said he's always keeping an eye on the numbers because it could impact livelihoods.
"If one person gets sick it can take out the entire restaurant, and that means nobody is getting money, right, so that means maybe they won't be able to pay their rent, to pay their bills, so it's something that is very, very important to us," Blevins said.
Health experts said it wouldn't be a bad idea to mask up and as we head into summer, stay outdoors.
"I think that's the biggest fear, a lot of us are concerned is the beginning of that tidal wave that we have seen. It does look like it's going to have a different like kind of characteristic of the wave, I don't think it will get as high as it has in the past, but there's a good chance that there's still going to be more increase in cases over the next three to four weeks," Snider said.