NEWS

Dear Davidson Neighbors,

We know many of you have been watching the news over the last few weeks. While our attention has rightfully been turned to racial equity and the Black Lives Matter movement, we can’t forget that we are still in the midst of a nationwide pandemic with COVID-19. While the news from several other states is encouraging, unfortunately, the situation in North Carolina puts us among one of about twenty states with data trending in the wrong direction.  Mecklenburg County is an area of concern for state and local health officials, and Davidson is most certainly included in that mix.

Here are a few things we’d like for you to remember:

• PLEASE WEAR A MASK. There’s been a lot of debate and misinformation out there about the effectiveness of the use of masks, but health officials are still recommending that all individuals who can wear a mask do so in public when social distancing is not possible. It is also important to remember to keep six feet of distance between yourself and other individuals when in public, and wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer. The town has sponsored an awareness campaign reminding residents and visitors of the importance of wearing masks, placed decals on the ground to urge folks to physically distance, and will be installing hand sanitizer stations in high traffic areas around town.
• SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES. We’ve got to continue to support our local businesses.  The town has added several new benches, tables with attached seating and umbrellas, and more trash and recycling bins. This will enable more residents to grab takeout from one of our great local restaurants and find a good spot to chow down while maintaining social distance and keeping our town clean. We hope you’ll make good use of it all.
• GET TESTED IF YOU HAVE BEEN PROTESTING IN PUBLIC. Mecklenburg County Public Health is recommending that anyone who has been participating in large group protests should seek testing for COVID-19, even if they are asymptomatic. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has developed a testing site locator dashboard you can access here. While there are currently no testing sites listed in Davidson’s city limits, there are several sites nearby, including the CVS at 2002 Shiloh Church Rd in Davidson, Novant Health Urgent Care at 19285 Old Jetton Road #100 in Cornelius, Novant Health GoHealth Urgent Care at 9121 Sam Furr Road Suite 108 in Huntersville, and Novant Screening Center at 16525 Holly Crest Lane Suite 120 in Huntersville. The dashboard will continually be updated as more testing sites and information is available. For those who have protested publicly, we have confirmed with the Mecklenburg County Health Department that you CAN say yes that you are part of a high-risk group when filling out the testing form, even if you are asymptomatic. Some test forms will specifically ask if you have been involved in protesting, and you may answer accordingly there if applicable. Residents who have questions about COVID-19 and are seeking testing are still encouraged to speak to their doctor or call Mecklenburg County Public Health’s COVID-19 help line at 980-314-9400.
• BE RESILIENT: This remains a very tough situation for many of us, and we ask for your continued patience and resilience. We’re all doing our best to care for ourselves, our families, and each other. The most recent data shows that Davidson has 44 confirmed cases and 3 deaths, which cannot all be accounted for in congregate care facilities.  COVID-19 is truly a crisis for our wider community. Please let us know if there’s a way we can provide support that we may not have already thought of by emailing [email protected].

Next week, Governor Cooper will likely make an announcement regarding the next phase for North Carolina. We expect this decision to be based on data and recommendations from health officials at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. As always, Davidson will continue to work closely with Mecklenburg County and the County’s Public Health Department, and we will make the best decisions we can to protect the health and safety of our town moving forward.

Best,
Mayor Rusty Knox
Commissioner Jane Campbell
Commissioner Jim Fuller
Commissioner Matthew Fort
Commissioner Autumn Rierson-Michael
Commissioner David Sitton