October 14 Press Conference Summary

Current COVID-19 Case Numbers in North Dakota: 28,947 total positive cases, 4,759 active confirmed cases, 23,823 recovered, 365 deaths
Speakers: Governor Burgum, Chris Jones Executive Director ND Department of Human Services

Focus: Elevating risk levels, following guidelines will slow the spread

• Beginning on Friday, October 16 at 5:00pm, changes to Smart Restart guidelines will go into effect. 
• Updated risk levels for each county 
• Some K12 schools chose to tie their COVID plans to the state’s county risk levels. Studies say that staying in school with your cohort is safe. 

• Moving forward to address slowing spread
  • ND has worked to preserve freedoms during the pandemic.
    • The challenge has been the fact that people have deeply held beliefs.
    • Often these beliefs are on opposite sides of the issue.
  • Leaders show love to their people.
    • Wearing a mask is a way to show love to your friends, co-workers, employees at the businesses you frequent, vulnerable populations, and everyone in our state.
  • We need to follow strategies that have been outlined
    • Distancing, masking, washing hands, staying home when you are sick.
    • These all work if we do them.
• Positivity Rates
  • North Dakota has a 8.1% positivity rate over the last 7 days.
  • The trend line is going the wrong way. 
  • ND is not out of available beds for COVID-19 patients. 
  • 15,000 of the new rapid (15 min) test kits have arrived in North Dakota.
    • Most of these tests will be used at long term care facilities.
• Long Term Care Situation
  • 50% of the 218 long term care facilities in North Dakota have had healthcare workers with positive cases.
    • We need these facilities and the workers there who care for vulnerable people.
  • 30 people under the age of 60 people in North Dakota have died from COVID-19. This is not something that only affects the elderly.
  • Chris Jones said that ND is a national leader in reuniting long term care residents with family members.
    • Safety is a priority but contact with family is important to the health of these residents.
    • Working with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on updating ND guidelines to be in compliance with these guidelines