Truth tracker: CDC study backs up Cooper’s statement that NC’s COVID-19 restrictions ‘saved lives’

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — North Carolina officials continue to stand behind the mask mandate and its loosened capacity limits in some places, even as other states have done away with them completely.

When asked about the possible lifting of those restrictions, Gov. Roy Cooper justified them with a strong statement.

THE CLAIM: Cooper said that “when you look at North Carolina’s numbers, I think we’ve saved lives by actions that we have taken.”

THE FACTS: A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention backs up Cooper’s strong, solemn assertion.

The study released last week found that mask mandates were associated with a drop in daily growth rates of new COVID-19 cases and deaths within less than three weeks of being implemented. 

It also found allowing in-person restaurant dining was associated with a rise in the growth rates of new cases from 41-100 days after going into effect, and an increase in death rates from 61-200 days after taking effect.

Mask mandates were associated with drops of 0.7 percentage points in daily death rates in the first 20 days after they were implemented and nearly two full percentage points up to 100 days after they went into effect.

They also were connected to drops in new case rates, from 0.5 percentage points in the first 20 days to 1.8 percentage points up to 100 days after implementation.

The conclusion: Restaurant restrictions and mask mandates “can help limit community transmission … and reduce case and death growth rates.”

And looking forward, CBS17.com reported last month about a study from a team of researchers at three local universities — the University of North Carolina, N.C. State University and East Carolina University — projects nearly 2 million new cases and 8,000 deaths could be prevented if effective vaccines reach a high percentage of the state’s population with continued mask-wearing and social distancing. The governor posted a link to that CBS17.com story on his official Twitter account.

It’s an issue now because Texas and Mississippi have relaxed some of their COVID-19 restrictions. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to lift his state’s mask mandate and allow all businesses to open at 100 percent capacity took effect Wednesday.

A total of 16 states either have lifted their mask mandates or never had one at all.