AVERY COUNTY, N.C. — Tucked up against the Tennessee border in the western part of North Carolina is Avery County. About 17,000 people live there year-around but, in the summer, that number jumps to more than 30,000.
“We are a golf course second home community,” said County Manager Phillip Barrier.
The county gets plenty of snow in the winter for skiing and has plenty of lakes and rivers for kayaking and boating in the warmer months. About 120 miles from Greensboro, Avery County is popular with golfers and hikers.
“I like to think we have it all,” Barrier said.
One thing they don’t have is a case of COVID-19. The county is the only one, out of 100, in North Carolina to have zero cases.
“Number one thing is we pride ourselves on is following the Governor’s orders,” Barrier said.
A couple of counties in the state have one or two cases of COVID-19 but only Avery County has none. The county has tested 409 people, 139 are negative and the county is waiting for the results of the rest.
“We are calling ourselves the social distancing champions of the state,” Barrier said.
There were 15,045 cases in our state as of Monday. Forsyth County had 379 cases and five deaths while Guilford County had 609 cases and 38 deaths.
Barrier credits those living in the county for taking the proper actions, social distancing, and wearing a mask in public. The county also quarantined all summer home residents for 14 days once they moved back to the county.
“Just feel very blessed we know someone else is looking out for us big time, that is part of it,” Barrier said.
There is a chance once those remaining tests come back that the county could see its first positive test. It also plans on doing more testing in the days ahead, but Barrier is confident, “We won’t have a case,” he said.
While there are no cases of the virus, Barrier said he doesn’t exactly want to use that as a way to get people to visit the county, at least not yet.
“About June 1, when the weather gets great, we will be ready to open 100 percent full steam ahead,” Barrier said.
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