NC Senate Democrats object to relaxed COVID-19 procedures at legislative building

Visitors to North Carolina’s legislative buildings no longer need to have their temperatures checked at the door, one of several tools to screen people for a symptom of COVID-19.

Now, Democrats are accusing Paul Coble, the legislative services officer, of stopping the checks after a Senate Democrat questioned his health and safety protocols.

“We conducted temperature screenings for approximately six weeks,” Coble said Tuesday afternoon. “During that time, we did not have a single incident of someone registering a high temperature that needed to be referred to a medical professional.”

The temperature checks came after a cafeteria employee at the legislative building was diagnosed with the coronavirus following a shift. State Treasurer Dale Folwell has also spoken with members of the General Assembly following his COVID-19 hospitalization, but after doctors said he recovered.

In the last four business days, Democrats in both chambers have called on their Republican colleagues to begin wearing masks. That includes Orange County Democrat Rep. Graig Meyer, whose daughter was diagnosed with COVID-19 after working at a Charlotte bar. He says he has not gone near her.

With stressed supply chains and greater demands for cleaning, Coble said he decided to focus efforts and resources on providing personal protective equipment, enhanced cleaning and other measures that include nursing services and protecting members, staff and visitors in the buildings.

But the Senate Democratic Caucus is calling on Coble to reinstate daily temperature screenings and for Senate leadership to restore social distancing in the chamber through the end of the session.

Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue’s office shared a memo with the Capitol Press Corps written to Senate President Pro tem Phil Berger and Coble. The memo from Senate Democrats said Sen. Terry Van Duyn, an Asheville Democrat, wrote Coble an email June 11, about concerns over lax working guidelines related to the coronavirus.

Van Duyn said her temperature is taken in the morning by unmasked staff; the sergeant-at-arms don’t wear masks while distributing them; sanitizing stations are frequently empty or not working; committee room seating does not allow for social distancing; and groups of more than 25 people are routine.

“Many of our members and staff are clearly in high risk categories for dire outcomes,” Van Duyn wrote. “I fear this is a disregard for the safety of staff and the members will result in unnecessary illness.”

Frontline worker sacrifices

Van Duyn told The News & Observer Tuesday night that her doctor has ordered her to stay away from her house to keep her husband safe from possible COVID-19 exposure. Both Van Duyns have comorbidities, and the senator has been sleeping in an apartment over her garage.

Van Duyn said while it’s inconvenient, she appreciates understanding more the sacrifices people on the frontlines are making.

“I’m making sacrifices so (Republicans) can make a political statement,” Van Duyn said.

But Van Duyn said she doesn’t think the lax safety measures have to do with her letter. She said a bill was drafted that “literally” takes away the liability of anyone if they “utter the words COVID-19.” If the bill becomes law, she said, that protects them from liabilities.

In response to Van Duyn’s email, Coble wrote, “First let me say that we have taken the threat of the coronavirus very seriously and there has been no disregard for anyone’s health or safety.”

But members of the Senate Democratic Caucus question the timing of ending the temperature screenings.

The letter from Blue’s office, signed by all the Senate Democratic Caucus members, said, “The decision to end daily health screenings two days after Sen. Van Duyn shared her concerns is alarming and warrants a public explanation. Mr. Coble’s actions call into question the sincerity of his words to staff and members that he has ‘taken the threat of the coronavirus very seriously.’”

Pat Ryan, Berger’s spokesperson, said emails from Coble about the change show that it was unrelated to any complaints by Democrats.

Coble did not provide any memo or emails about the change, or a response to the caucus’ letter, when asked Tuesday afternoon, but replied with his reasoning behind the change.

North Carolina has reported more than 45,000 cases of COVID-19, more than 1,150 deaths and about 830 hospitalizations, according to Tuesday’s data reported by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 6:00 AM with the headline "NC Senate Democrats object to relaxed COVID-19 procedures at legislative building."