There have been a lot of media reports about outbreaks in both corrections facilities and nursing homes. According to DHHS, there are 851 confirmed COVID-19 cases in nursing homes (with 47 deaths), and nearly 500 cases in correctional facilities (with 5 deaths). We also still have several ongoing outbreaks in residential settings, with the majority being in nursing homes.
An employee at the Smithfield Tar Heel plant tested positive for COVID-19. The plant has already put in place proactive measures to prevent it spreading. It will remain open. Smithfield has previously closed three plants in the Midwest due to COVID-19 outbreaks.
The S. Department of Agriculture approvedNorth Carolina’s requests to allow SNAP beneficiaries to use their benefits to purchase food online and allowed the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer program to begin, which allows SNAP participants and other households to offset the costs of meals that would have otherwise been consumed at school.
From The Wall Street Journal: “In lieu of a vaccine, which might not be widely available for at least a year, and mass testing, public health experts say tracking down sick people and those they might have exposed to the virus will be critical in allowing the public to work, shop and gather in groups again without sparking more outbreaks.”