# Graham County, NC places roadblocks to limit coronavirus spread. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 31, 2020, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715 "2020-03-31T02:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/1 "2020-03-31T02:37:05Z")
Graham County in North Carolina has placed roadblocks at all entrances to the county. > **[Graham County, North Carolina, blocks visitor entry to slow the spread of...](https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/graham-county-nc-blocks-entry-to-fight-covid-19-spread/51-a7707d53-892b-42aa-bcca-ff15472898d6)** > > Drivers coming from Tennessee will hit checkpoints at or near the N.C. state line, as Graham County blocks most outside traffic. I have conflicting feelings about this. It’s a good idea for people to stay home. I think it’s a bad idea for people to be traveling to stay at vacation homes. On the other hand this is the sort of the thing that seems like the start of the slippery slope to local governments doing whatever they want. What do you all think? Is this an isolated incident in a rural North Carolina County, or a sign of things to come to a place near you? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/2 "2020-03-31T04:50:23Z")
I’ve heard it’s happening between Texas and Louisiana. I have no cite. I wanna say I heard it on CNN as I’ve been checking in there most in the last few days. I agree it’s a slippery slope. Scary. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/3 "2020-03-31T11:58:11Z")
This is the height of stupidity. Why don’t they just erect a border wall around their precious county, to keep out all those “undesirables”? And it’s probably unconstitutional to keep people from access to their own property. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/4 "2020-03-31T12:33:54Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > Graham County in North Carolina has placed roadblocks at all entrances to the county. > > [Graham County, North Carolina, blocks visitor entry to slow the spread of COVID-19 | wbir.com](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wbir.com/amp/article/news/local/graham-county-nc-blocks-entry-to-fight-covid-19-spread/51-a7707d53-892b-42aa-bcca-ff15472898d6) > > I have conflicting feelings about this. It’s a good idea for people to stay home. I think it’s a bad idea for people to be traveling to stay at vacation homes. On the other hand this is the sort of the thing that seems like the start of the slippery slope to local governments doing whatever they want. What do you all think? Is this an isolated incident in a rural North Carolina County, or a sign of things to come to a place near you? I don’t know how conflicted I feel. Like, I’m putting myself in the shoes of the local resident who is concerned they won’t be able to get a hospital bed because a bunch of “outsiders” have taken up all the spots. Now, that is selfish of course. But I totally get it. But I would also be pissed if I drove five-six hours to go check on my summer house only to be met with a roadblock. Presumably I’ve paved my property taxes through the years just like everybody else. Why should I get “outsider” treatment? So I guess I am quite conflicted! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/5 "2020-03-31T13:06:05Z")
So apparently we are headed for a\* The Stand\*/_Under the Dome_ mashup? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/6 "2020-03-31T14:07:23Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > On the other hand this is the sort of the thing that seems like the start of the slippery slope to local governments doing whatever they want. What do you all think? I think that because the Federal government has so far refused to actually _lead_ in this crisis local governments are more and more going to have no choice but to act on their own. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/7 "2020-04-01T19:47:01Z")
I’ve seen articles these past couple weeks about West Coast metropolitans heading for mountain and desert homes in overwhelming numbers. They’ve apparently not come in our direction yet. I don’t know if county health directors can order blockades, absent orders from state authorities. I won’t be surprised if locales set up checkpoints - the feverish may not pass! Leave the old and sick by the side of the road. Sing, _“♫ They buried Grampa in a Fresno County field / And Grandma on the Sacramento side ♫”_. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/8 "2020-04-01T20:41:42Z")
Only 8k people live there. It’s mostly just mountains and forests. NC has 100 counties and they rank #98 in population. I’ve been there and I wonder where those people work. I guess logging might be the main industry there. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/9 "2020-04-02T18:44:26Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > I’ve seen articles these past couple weeks about West Coast metropolitans heading for mountain and desert homes in overwhelming numbers. They’ve apparently not come in our direction yet. I don’t know if county health directors can order blockades, absent orders from state authorities. I won’t be surprised if locales set up checkpoints - the feverish may not pass! Leave the old and sick by the side of the road. Sing, _“♫ They buried Grampa in a Fresno County field / And Grandma on the Sacramento side ♫”_. There was an article in the Washington Post a week or so back on the same topic (East Coast-focused). It’s a real concern especially with people fleeing New York City. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/10 "2020-04-02T19:13:55Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > On the other hand this is the sort of the thing that seems like the start of the slippery slope to local governments doing whatever they want. It’s not the start of any sort of slipper slope. County and governments barring or limiting entry to non-residents during a state of emergency in NC has a long history. While it’s usually coastal areas and the state of emergency is usually declared for a hurricane, laws like this are well-established, not a new phenomenon. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/11 "2020-04-02T23:00:14Z")
Outer banks of NC have also banned non residents. That’s pretty easy since there are only a few roads to block. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/12 "2020-04-03T02:17:41Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I’ve heard it’s happening between Texas and Louisiana. I have no cite. I wanna say I heard it on CNN as I’ve been checking in there most in the last few days. > I agree it’s a slippery slope. > Scary. [Non-essential travel from Louisiana to Texas is supposed to require a 14-day quarantine](https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas/articles/2020-03-30/texas-reports-4-more-coronavirus-deaths), but nobody is sure how to enforce it. I haven’t heard of any roadblocks yet. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/13 "2020-04-05T18:30:26Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > [Non-essential travel from Louisiana to Texas is supposed to require a 14-day quarantine](https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas/articles/2020-03-30/texas-reports-4-more-coronavirus-deaths), but nobody is sure how to enforce it. I haven’t heard of any roadblocks yet. DPS checkpoints have just been set up, and at least one border crossing between TX and LA has been closed. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/14 "2020-04-05T19:33:02Z")
Graham county is where Harrison Ford “jumped” off the high dam in the Fugitive. All of the mountain/river scenes were filmed in that area. The railroad engine is still there next to the Tuckaseegee river. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-county-nc-places-roadblocks-to-limit-coronavirus-spread/850715/15 "2020-04-05T19:34:03Z")
No roadblocks, but the sheriff of Calaveras County, home to Angels Camp and Mark Twain’s jumping frogs, has “requested” all non-residents to stay away. There are enough crack labs and toothless users up-country to keep the prudent away anyhow, but everything legal is now closed, so don’t even bother.