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Carolina Curious: How Do County Officials Tally COVID-19 Numbers?

(MIC SMITH/AP)

Governor Roy Cooper has said his administration is relying on science and data to make decisions about how to keep the public safe from COVID-19. Many North Carolinians have been trying to do the same – checking the latest numbers on the DHHS website to decide whether it's safe to go to a restaurant or even send their children back to school. But it can be hard to tell how those numbers are determined. A listener asked Carolina Curious how Forsyth County counts active COVID-19 cases. We took a look at the latest policies and spoke with experts to learn more. 

How does the county public health department determine if a COVID-19 case is active or recovered?

If contact tracers can monitor the case, Forsyth County considers someone recovered:

  • 10 days after the date of testing, if they never show symptoms of the virus

  • 10 days after the onset of symptoms, if those symp

April Laissle is a senior reporter and editor at WFDD. Her work has been featured on several national news programs and recognized by the Public Media Journalists Association and the Radio Television Digital News Association. Before joining WFDD in 2019, she worked at public radio stations in Ohio and California.

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