The Wayne County Commissioners get an update on coronavirus in the county.

At Tuesday’s Wayne County Board meeting, Dr. Alma Jenkins told the commissioners about the importance of wearing a face covering.

She says if 95% of people started wearing masks in public right now, 70,000 coronavirus-related deaths could be prevented by the end of the year.

Jenkins says everyone needs to continue taking care of their mental health during the pandemic by taking steps including getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and keeping in touch with family and friends.

When asked about specific hotspots, Wayne County Medical Director Dr. James Stackhouse said it really came down to living and working arrangements.

Wayne County Health Director Dr. Brenda Weis says they noticed COVID-19 appeared to be disproportionately affecting certain populations during the county’s free testing.

For instance, Weis says nearly 25% of Hispanic/Latinx persons testing positive at the C.B. Aycock testing site.

It’s believed the nation will have a vaccine for the coronavirus by the end of the year, although rolling out the vaccine will take a few months, possibly becoming available in the new year.

As of Tuesday, Wayne County had recorded 3,119 total positive cases of COVID-19.  There have been 62 coronavirus-related deaths in the county.  It’s estimated there are currently 178 active cases in Wayne County.