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Emails show faculty, health officials expressed concern over UNC-Chapel Hill's COVID-19 plan before August reopening - ABC11 Raleigh-Durham <br />https://abc11.com/unc-covid-nc-coronavirus/7029408/[10/19/20, 3:46:34 PM] <br />the months leading up to the reopening and the days <br />before in-person classes were abruptly canceled. <br />Emails and testimony reveal health officials voiced <br />concerns over reopening plans for months and <br />students and faculty recommendations went <br />unimplemented as officials executed a reopening plan <br />largely created before cases spiked throughout the <br />state. <br />MAY <br />'Carolina is leading in COVID-19 response' was the <br />subject of the first email ABC11 received between UNC- <br />Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and officials <br />back in April. UNC, like many universities across the <br />country, had switched to virtual learning and were just <br />beginning to envision what re-opening plans would <br />entail in August. <br />Providing antibody testing for all students was briefly <br />discussed between UNC System leaders and Senator <br />Richard Burr early in May. <br />But, weeks later, UNC-Chapel Hill's first draft of its <br />reopening plan made no mention of testing for all <br />students. Instead, the plan outlined daily self-symptom <br />checks, mandated masks and limited group gatherings. <br />At the end of May, email exchanges between UNC and <br />Orange County health officials reveal county officials <br />tried to set up a "good working relationship" and set up <br />time for "crucial dialogue." <br />A spokesperson for Orange County confirmed <br />collaboration between the entities didn't begin until