Paul B. Johnson and Cinde Ingram, The High Point Enterprise

N.C. (TNS)

HIGH POINT — Gov. Roy Cooper doesn’t intend to use his authority to cancel the spring High Point Market because of the coronavirus threat, a spokesman told The Enterprise on Friday.

The potential spread of the coronavirus in the United States has raised the possibility of postponing or canceling the furniture market, scheduled for April 25-29. High Point Market Authority leaders say they don’t have plans to postpone or cancel the upcoming market, a sentiment shared by the governor.

“The High Point furniture market has immense economic value for the region and the whole state. There’s no intention to cancel it,” Ford Porter, spokesman for the governor, said in a statement to The High Point Enterprise. “The governor’s coronavirus task force will continue focusing on prevention and preparedness, and we urge all North Carolinians to do the same.”

The governor’s office has the ultimate authority in North Carolina to cancel a public event such as the furniture market for public health reasons, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

“In the case of any emergency, the decision to impact an event in North Carolina would be made in coordination with state health and public safety officials and local leaders,” Porter said. “There is currently no reason to impact planned events in the state, and North Carolinians should continue to listen to DHHS and Emergency Management Officials for updates and guidance.”

The possible impact of the coronavirus on the world’s largest home furnishings trade show carries particular resonance for High Point. Businesses throughout the city rely on spending each spring and fall from the 75,000 to 80,000 marketgoers who attend each trade show.

The High Point Market is the single-largest economic event in the state each year. A Duke University study determined that the High Point Market has an estimated statewide economic impact of $6.7 billion.

ASSURING MARKETGOERS

High Point Market buyers and exhibitors can expect to receive a notice from the High Point Market Authority assuring them the April 25-29 show will go on.

The American Home Furnishings Alliance is joining the National Association of Manufacturers in gathering information on the impacts of coronavirus on manufacturers’ supply chains, operations and emergency response plans.

“We’re preparing for the virus by working with all of the emergency managers in the county and the city as well as with the hospital,” said Tom Conley, president/CEO of the High Point Market Authority. “It’s the same process we used during the Ebola and SARS issues, so we’ve been through this before. We’ve had meetings, telephone calls and we feel we will be as prepared as we possibly can be.”

Conley said the market authority hears regularly from the CDC, governor’s office and state public health department “when they have something to report.”

The World Health Organization reported Thursday that all countries need to prepare to combat the rapid spread of the flu-like coronavirus, which emerged in central China more than two months ago from an illegal wildlife market. WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said no country should assume it won’t get cases of coronavirus.

He particularly noted Italy, which postponed its Milan furniture market from April to June and where 17 people have died in Europe’s worst outbreak.

The virus has caused nearly 80,000 infections and more than 2,700 deaths, according to WHO, which “did not recommend any travel or trade restrictions, based on the current information available” in its latest statement on the topic.

WHO reported coronavirus has spread from its start in China to another 46 countries, which have reported 3,700 cases and 57 deaths.

The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases reports the death rate appears to be around 2%, compared with seasonal influenza with a fatality rate of around 0.1%.

China is key to the international home furnishings supply chain, but no Chinese participants have registered to attend the April 25-29 High Point Market, Conley said.

“Those countries that are dramatically affected, primarily China right now, although there are some issues in Italy, are not letting their citizens fly and the airlines are not serving those countries,” Conley said. “Right now, we have zero registrants from China. China is our No. 2 international country in terms of people who come to market, but until they can get out safely and the airlines will transport them safely, they’re not coming.”

Although personal safety is the High Point Market Authority’s top concern, Conley said, he is also is listening to business concerns of manufacturers and market participants.

“From an industry perspective, there are folks who are concerned about getting their product here and being able to fulfill orders — all those business issues that are supply-chain related,” Conley said. “The market’s going to allow them the opportunity to talk that through, so I think we’re going to have a terrific market just because there’s so much uncertainty from a business perspective that people have to come and have these conversations.”

Premarket, set for March 16-17, offers an earlier opportunity for industry players to have those discussions.

“I can tell you from a staffing perspective that it looks like we’re going to have the best premarket we’ve had in 10 or 15 years,” Conley said. “That’s primarily because those larger retailers who traditionally go to China themselves can’t go to China, so they’re coming to premarket. We’re out of rooms at the Grandover and the preregistration for premarket has been very strong.”

RISK ‘LOW’ HERE

The state Department of Health and Human Services has coordinated with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local partners since the beginning of the outbreak in China, said Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, state health director and chief medical officer for the department.

“We are asking North Carolinians to continue to plan ahead for the possibility of the spread of the infection, while the risk for North Carolina is currently low,” Tilson said.

Guilford County Health Director Merle Green said the county is monitoring the coronavirus situation and staying in touch with federal and state public health authorities.

A Duke University public policy professor said Cooper and his advisers confront a delicate balance between the economic significance of the furniture market and the public health unease of High Pointers and state residents.

“It is the dilemma public leaders have to face,” Professor Mac McCorkle told The Enterprise. “In these kinds of events, you better put politics aside and try to make the best possible decision. It’s of such great significance either way.”

McCorkle said he believes Cooper has a track record showing he’s a “trustworthy figure,” though he faces a decision with the furniture market and coronavirus that could upset a broad section of people however he acts.