MORRISVILLE (May 20, 2020) – The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have health, economic, and social consequences across the country. The president has signed several pieces of legislation into law to address some of the effects and the White House has recommended a phased approach to opening state economies. State actions to address the pandemic and open up have been varied. In an ongoing effort to provide updated information and analysis to decision-makers in the Carolinas, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) and South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health (IMPH) released a joint brief as an update to their April publication. The updated brief examines:

• Trends in COVID-19 cases across the Carolinas, including outbreaks in North Carolina nursing facilities, prisons, and meat packing plants;
• Actions taken by North and South Carolina leadership to address the pandemic, including the North Carolina General Assembly’s allocation of $1.5 billion in federal funds for a variety of health, social, education, and government purposes; as well as many actions taken by Governor Cooper and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to provide supports for mental health, food, public safety, and other needs;
• Plans for opening across the Carolinas;
• Rollout of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act – over 39,000 small business loans approved in North Carolina totaling over $8 billion, nearly $7 billion in stimulus checks to over 4 million North Carolinians, and millions in other funds directed to the state; and
• Allocations in the latest federal legislation – the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act.

The long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and the economy are still unfolding. North and South Carolina are tackling the crisis in differing ways. Congress continues to discuss further legislation to bolster the economy and help the individuals and families struggling to deal with the fallout of business closures and unemployment. The NCIOM and the IMPH will continue to monitor state and federal actions and analyze their impact on state residents.

The North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) is an independent, quasi-state agency that was chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1983 to provide balanced, nonpartisan information on issues of relevance to the health of North Carolina’s population. For more information, visit www.nciom.org.

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