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Health director briefs commissioners on testing; EDC outlines business outreach and damage from COVID-19
Summary
Health Director Wes Gray briefed the board on local case numbers, testing needs and prevention steps, saying Martin County should aim for about 37 tests per day; EDC President Jason Semple reported major revenue declines among local businesses and described a centralized resource and outreach effort.
Health Director Wes Gray told the Martin County Board of Commissioners on May 13 that the county remains vulnerable to COVID-19 because of low population immunity and limited treatment options, and he urged continued prevention measures including handwashing, distancing and targeted testing.
Gray reviewed local infection timelines, hospital visits for COVID-like symptoms, testing totals and percent-positive rates across Martin, Tyrell and Washington counties. "Prepare for more positive cases as testing increases," he said, and added that Martin County needed to test about 37 people per day to meet targets set by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Jason Semple, president of Martin County Economic Development, described a cross-organization outreach effort launched in March to centralize resources for businesses and coordinate weekly calls with the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism, the MCC Small Business Center and regional partners. Semple said the EDC’s COVID-19 business resource page had recorded 338 hits to date; survey responses from 43 businesses showed sizable revenue and staffing impacts — 64% reported a drop of at least half their revenue in the prior month and 45% had applied for government assistance.
Semple said the group mailed a physical packet to every registered business in the county to share resources and designated Charles Banks at the MCC Small Business Center as a primary contact for loan and financial assistance questions. The EDC also broadened weekly calls to include civic organizations and town officials to avoid duplication of assistance and monitor frequently changing programs.
Commissioners thanked Gray and Semple for their presentations and accepted the updates. No board action was taken specifically about testing levels at the meeting; commissioners said they would continue to follow state public-health guidance when considering reopening measures.
