Orange County COVID-19 Updated Data July 31, 2020

The Orange County Health Department has provided the following information about COVID-19 cases in Orange County as of 9:00 a.m. today:

TOTAL CASES: 1,250
TOTAL DEATHS: 45

Data Considerations:
1. Any demographic groups with very small numbers have been suppressed to protect
patient confidentiality.
2. We are missing race and ethnicity data for between 30-40% of confirmed cases.
3. We don’t know who may have COVID-19 that wasn’t able to get tested, and we don’t know what groups the patients with missing data fall under.
This data should not be used to make generalizations about who may or may not have higher rates of infection.

Click here to download the entire release.

Orange County announces #MaskUpOCNC Campaign

Orange County is excited to announce the #MaskUpOCNC public health campaign. The artist-designed poster series and corresponding social media campaign will encourage residents to “mask up” in compliance with state and county mandates.

“We know that wearing a face covering decreases the spread of the virus by trapping airborne particles, protecting yourself and others from contamination,” said Penny Rich, chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. “By wearing a mask, you do your individual part to help protect the whole population. You wear a mask to protect others, and they wear a mask to protect you. Mask up, Orange County!”

Orange County artists Mike Benson, Marcela Slade, and Bob Goldstein designed a series of eight posters depicting cultural icons encouraging the public to wear a face covering. The posters have been placed across the county.

Starting this week, residents are encouraged to share photos of themselves on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter wearing their face coverings and using the hashtag #MaskUpOCNC. One participant will be selected each week of the campaign to receive a $25 gift certificate to a local area business. Winners will be announced on Fridays.

The project is a partnership of communicators across Orange County and is led by the Orange County Arts Commission, with communicators from the Arts Commission, Orange County Health Department, Orange County Public Library, Orange County Office of Community Relations and the Town of Hillsborough on the committee. To view each work in the series, visit www.artsorange.org/maskup.

Orange County Aging Department to host presentation on voting safely in the November 2020 election.

The Orange County Department on Aging and the Project EngAGE Policy and Advocacy Senior Resource Team invite the public to attend a virtual presentation, Voting Safely in the 2020 Election.

Make sure you make your voice heard and your vote count in the 2020 election! Join us on Thursday, Aug. 13 from 4 – 5:15 p.m. to hear a presentation from You Can Vote about how to safely vote this fall. The presentation will cover how to vote by mail, including the new rules about how to complete the absentee ballot request form and how to complete the absentee ballot.

Information will be provided on how to find your sample ballot, check your voter registration, and tools to share with all eligible voters to successfully vote on Nov. 3, 2020. You Can Vote is a nonpartisan voting rights group that works to educate and empower voters each year.

The event will take place via the virtual platform, GoToMeeting. The meeting room will accept entry beginning at 3:45 pm to assist with any questions or issues with using the platform prior to the start of the program.

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone: https://www.gotomeet.me/GOTO_Meeting_AGING_02

You can also dial in using your phone: United States: +1 (872) 240-3212
Access Code: 127-828-013

Technology assistance requests must be made by Aug. 10. Contact Shenae McPherson at shmcpherson@orangecountync.gov or 919-245-4243.

Census takers will soon be visiting households in Orange County that have not responded to the 2020 Census. it's not too late to keep the census takers away. Click the graphic to fill it out online or find the phone number to call to fill it out over the telephone.

Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Offers Residents More Ways to Explore the Region

With many companies requiring employees to quarantine if they leave the state for a vacation, staycations are positioned to be the biggest “travel” trend of summer/fall 2020. Tighter budgets and lingering health concerns are forcing people everywhere to scrap their standard vacation plans.

While a staycation might not have been on most people’s 2020 radar, a good vacation in North Carolina is easy, thanks to so many options within 60 miles of our own backyard.

Laurie Paolicelli, Director of Orange County’s Visitors Bureau said the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau is encouraging locals and visitors to explore the middle of the state: North Carolina’s Piedmont.

“At the Visitors Bureau, our traditional role has been to focus on our backyard, but we recognize that travelers have limited options now and cabin fever has set in so we are turning the spotlight on our region, giving folks an idea of what they can explore within a couple of hours.”

Visit North Carolina, the state’s tourism agency reminds visitors that the middle of North Carolina is the center of it all so it’s easy for Triangle and Triad residents to check-out ways that their family can enjoy area wineries, breweries, golf and natural attractions. Staycations support local businesses, and there are many fun things to do right here in Orange County.

The Visitor's Bureau has compiled more than 60 attractions worth the drive. For the complete list, visit: https://www.orangecountync.gov/2463/16983/Staycation-Ideas

Join the Orange County Public LIbrary via GoToMeeting to talk about books. No reading required. You just have to be in grades 3-5. Click the graphic to register.

Library Survey for remote services

While the Orange County Public Library is still limited in the services it can safely offer, staff want to provide those you want the most. Please take 10-15 minutes to complete this survey. Thank you!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OCPLCustomerSurvey2020

DCHC MPO Seeks Comment on 30-Year Plan for Future Transportation Priorities

If you’re interested in the 30-year plan for future highway, bicycle, rail, pedestrian and transit projects for our region, now’s your chance to give your feedback by August 5 on how the process to identify these projects will take place.

The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) is seeking public feedback now on their proposed goals and objectives and their public engagement plan for the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). The 2050 MTP will identify future highway, transit, rail, bicycle, pedestrian and other transportation projects for this region over the next 30 years. The goals and objectives will guide the selection of these transportation projects, and the public engagement plan will define the process for receiving input on the 2050 MTP as it develops.

Residents and other stakeholders are asked to provide comments by completing this online survey in English or Spanish, or visiting the DCHC MPO website and providing comments directly by email by Wednesday, August 5.

Residents and stakeholders may also directly address the DCHC MPO Board on these two items on Wednesday, August 12 beginning at 9 a.m. during their virtual board meeting. The August 12 virtual meeting will also be live streamed on the DCHC MPO’s Facebook page.

For more information about the 2050 MTP, contact DCHC MPO Principal Planner Andrew Henry at (919) 560-4366, ext. 36419 or by email.

www.orangecountync.gov