CDC study: Delaware Emergency order limited early spread of coronavirus

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A report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concludes that emergency measures taken by Gov. John Carney held down the spread of the virus.

“In Delaware, state-mandated community mitigation efforts, such as stay-at-home orders, coupled with mask use, contributed to a sharp decline in new COVID-19 cases,” the report stated.

According to the report, cases declined by 82 percent, hospitalizations fell by 88 percent, and mortality dropped by 100 percent from late April to June as the stay at home order,  mask mandate and contact tracing were added to case investigations.

Researchers stated that the findings in this report are subject to limitations that include hard data on adherence to the stay-at-home order and use of masks in public.

Later research around the nation has been able to estimate levels of mask compliance.

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The report did take note of limitations with the state’s contract tracing efforts in the April to June period. 

Support for Carney’s emergency order was strong in the early going, but also led to widespread criticism over the pace of reopenings. Critics claimed the economic damage caused by the order outweighed the benefits.

The emergency order proved to be one of the biggest issues in Carney’s bid for re-election.

Carney easily won re-election over Julianne Murray, a Sussex County lawyer and critic of the governor’s emergency order.

The  Carney administration is is now dealing with an uptick in Covid-19 cases.

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