It’s a question of timing.

Some say social distancing requirements and restrictions on businesses are stemming what could have been an overwhelming tide of sick and dying patients drowning the health care system, while others say the economy isn’t going to survive the measures if they go on much longer.

Restrictions imposed by New Hanover County that are more extensive than a statewide order are set to expire at 5 p.m. Monday. They include the closure to the public of non-essential retail, or those stores and businesses that don’t sell items related to health, sustenance, shelter, mobility and hygiene. They also mention specific merchants, including auto dealerships, boat dealerships and other places that sell vehicles, excluding repair and maintenance services.

An expected extension of the local restrictions is something local government, medical and public health officials have been discussing this week, at times in disagreement.

In Facebook posts and emails this week, New Hanover County Commissioner Woody White shared some New Hanover Regional Medical Center coronavirus case information provided to the county Emergency Operations Center (the hospital has not shared them publicly, citing state law and privacy issues). White was aiming to make the case for rolling back what he describes as "Draconian measures" based on modeling he considers "unreliable." He said it is important to study the trends and use the actual data to make good policy regarding closures and other restrictions.

"More and more, it looks like the cure really has been worse than the disease," White wrote on Facebook.

Others say the disease would have been much worse, and could still get there, without measures such as social distancing, stay-at-home orders and closures.

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo said residents in the city and county have done a good job of keeping the rate of infection down by staying at home. Lifting orders too soon, he said, bring up the possibility of reigniting that infection.

“I think that all of us want to go back to a normal way of life as quickly as possible,” Saffo said, “but we also have to take into consideration public health.”

In an email to several officials, White stated on Friday, “The numbers are worth noting: As of yesterday at 5 clock, NH County had 22 people with Covid, 13 of whom are admitted in NHRMC. There has only been one additional admission to NHRMC since Monday.  Only 1.”

NHRMC spokeswoman Carolyn Fisher stated in an email Friday, "NHRMC is not able to share or confirm specific numbers of COVID patients treated or released in our facilities due to HIPAA privacy regulations."

Earlier in the White's email detailing the numbers and addressing Wrightsville Beach leaders, White stated, “The 14 day order that enacted more restrictions than Gov. Cooper’s is up for re-evaluation Monday. I understand that the beach towns have been active in pressing for its extension, and that [New Hanover County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Julia Olson-Boseman] is working with Town leaders to decide what, if anything, to extend Monday.

“Since the WB council is copied on this thread, I respectfully ask that Mayor Mills and his fellow aldermen (and woman!) [consider] paring back on the blanket approach that has been enacted and find a more measured way to enforce gatherings while allowing reasonable people to enjoy the natural resources and spring time weather that we all love.”

Olson-Boseman did not respond to a request for an interview on the topic of local restrictions.

Efforts by the Business Journal to reach Wrightsville Beach Mayor Darryl Mills on Friday were also not immediately successful. The town closed its beach last month, and this week, officials increased the potential fine, up to $650, for those caught violating the closure.

As for the countywide measures, which affect the city of Wilmington, Saffo shared some of his thoughts.

“I think the order’s going to be extended, but I do think there's going to be some modifications to the extension that we are working through right now with the New Hanover County Health Department with some specific issues that we feel should be or could be modified,” Saffo said Friday morning.

At that point, a draft had not been finalized yet, but Saffo said it could come as early as Friday. He declined to share what the potential modifications might be.

“We’re not arbitrarily just doing this as elected officials  . . . each one of these things that we’re revisiting or looking at has got to also be cleared or approved by health officials,” Saffo said.

As for timing, Jessica Loeper, chief communications officer for New Hanover County, said in an email Friday, "We believe that final decisions will be made on Monday prior to the current order expiring."

Responding to some of White's comments in a separate email to White, NHRMC chief physician Philip Brown wrote, “NHRMC is committed to optimizing the transparent flow of permissible information regarding COVID-19 to our community, in the interest of serving the mission of Leading Our Community to Outstanding Health.  As I am sure you are aware, given your legal background, there are limitations associated with protecting the information of individual patients. Beyond simply fulfilling our legal obligation to do so, we hold sacred the responsibility to honor our patients’ privacy. We are continuously updating permissible levels of disclosure based on changes to the law associated with a rapidly progressing global pandemic which is devastating many areas in the United States presently. 

“We hope to avoid deterioration of our community into one of those devastated areas, and appreciate your efforts to prevent the prolonged disaster which will surely occur in the event of more rapid spread.”

White responded that Brown had not answered his question about the numbers.

"My question is, why does NHRMC not release the overall numbers of admitted/discharged  patients for Covid 19 like other hospitals are doing? These data points are important sources of information for the larger community to know," White stated. "I am not suggesting that you release individual information that would run afoul of HIPAA. I am also aware of the general statutory protections in NC for the propriety of hospital acquired infections/disease. But the novelty of Covid 19 - and the ubiquity of information available to the public via other health information - necessitates release of general data to give our community the full picture."

No matter what happens to the local orders, the state’s stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Roy Cooper in March doesn't expire until the end of April. New restrictions the governor announced Thursday, which go into effect Monday, limit the number of people allowed in retail stores that are still operating to five per 1,000 square feet, an order that extends to May.