BREAKING: North Carolina Gov. Cooper Extends Stay-At-Home Order to May 8
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has extended North Carolina’s stay-at-home order through May 8, but announced a three-phase plan to carefully start getting the state back to a sense of normal, Thursday afternoon. A plan for North Carolina schools will be announced Friday afternoon.
“The health and safety of people in North Carolina must be our top priority,” Gov. Cooper said. “This plan provides a roadmap for us to begin easing restrictions in stages to push our economy forward. North Carolina cannot stay at home indefinitely. We have to get more people back to work. Right now, the decision to stay at home is based on the public health data and White House guidance. North Carolina needs more time to slow the spread of this virus before we can safely begin lifting restrictions. I know that this pandemic has made life difficult for many people in our state and I am focused on keeping our communities safe while planning to slowly lift restrictions to help cushion the blow to our economy.”
We need to slow the virus before we can ease restrictions, so today I’m extending the Stay At Home order until May 8. This includes continued closure of dine-in restaurants, bars & close-contact businesses like hair and nail salons, movie theaters & others in Executive Order 120.
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) April 23, 2020
The state announced it is looking at four data points in trying to determine if North Carolina is ready to reopen. They are looking at combinations of positive case trends, hospitalizations, and other data. Once the state has started trending in the right directions on all four of the main data points – similar to the guidance coming from the White House – the state can more safely begin a reopen plan.
The state is in the positive trend on number of cases, but still not on the right trend lines for 14-day case trends, percentage of positive tests vs. total tests over 14 days, and hospitalizations.
The reopen plan includes three levels for North Carolina to reopen, the first will allow for some freedoms to go back in public. The second phase will reopen some businesses with strict social-distancing and sanitation measures in place. And the third phase would allow for resuming larger public events like concerts.
In Phase 1:
- Modify the Stay At Home order allow travel not currently defined as essential allowing people to leave home for commercial activity at any business that is allowed to be open, such as clothing stores, sporting goods stores, book shops, houseware stores and other retailers.
- Ensure that any open stores implement appropriate employee and consumer social distancing, enhanced hygiene and cleaning protocols, symptom screening of employees, accommodations for vulnerable workers, and provide education to employees and workers to combat misinformation
- Continue to limit gatherings to no more than 10 people
- Reopen parks that have been closed subject to the same gathering limitation. Outdoor exercise will continue to be encouraged.
- Continue to recommend face coverings in public spaces when 6 feet of distancing isn’t possible
- Encourage employers to continue teleworking policies
- Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings
- Local emergency orders with more restrictive measures may remain in place.
Phase 2
At least 2-3 weeks after Phase 1
- Lift Stay At Home order with strong encouragement for vulnerable populations to continue staying at home to stay safe
- Allow limited opening of restaurants, bars, fitness centers, personal care services, and other businesses that can follow safety protocols including the potential need to reduce capacity
- Allow gathering at places such as houses of worship and entertainment venues at reduced capacity
- Increase in number of people allowed at gatherings
- Open public playgrounds
- Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings
Phase 3
At least 4-6 weeks after Phase 2
- Lessen restrictions for vulnerable populations with encouragement to continue practicing physical distancing and minimizing exposure to settings where distancing isn’t possible
- Allow increased capacity at restaurants, bars, other businesses, houses of worships, and entertainment venues
- Further increase the number of people allowed at gatherings
- Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings
It is not a strict timeline, and we could go back in phases based on how trends develop.
Gov. Cooper and members of the Coronavirus Task Force will give an update at 3:00pm. Stream it LIVE here. https://t.co/5waQYqEHYG
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) April 23, 2020
GALLERY: Coronavirus in North Carolina
