Governor Roy Cooper issued a statewide stay-at-home order this afternoon. Below is the NCMS’ statement to the media in response to the order.
RALEIGH — We applaud Governor Cooper’s decisive action today in issuing a statewide stay-at-home order. This is an historic public health crisis and Governor Cooper’s demonstrated leadership is crucial in protecting the people of North Carolina. We thank him for making this difficult decision, which we acknowledge will have far reaching impacts.
The NCMS, which advocates on behalf of physicians and PAs and their patients throughout the state, encouraged Gov. Cooper to increase the restrictions on non-essential public contact in order to stem the spread of COVID-19. Our leadership seriously weighed the consequences such a position would have on our communities — both businesses and individuals. As medical professionals, sworn to protect the health of our patients, a stay-at-home order such as the Governor issued is warranted and necessary.
Being cognizant of the economic and mental health toll of this pandemic, today’s action will blunt the negative impact as much as possible. We are lobbying our state and federal officials to enact emergency economic policies to support small business – including medical practices – and the workforce, and we are developing a wealth of resources in consultation with our member mental health experts to offer emotional support during this difficult time.
We will be sharing more about how we are supporting our health care community and the larger public in media releases in the coming days.