Raleigh, NC Government Roy Cooper on Wednesday expanded a curfew rule, a moratorium on evictions and rules that allow restaurants and bars to serve mixed drinks while the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage in North Carolina.
The current orders covering all three will expire on Sunday, but new executive orders have pushed it until the end of February for the evening clock and until the end of March for evictions and drinks.
“The virus is still raging through our communities,” Cooper told a news conference. “We still have work to do, especially in these cold winter months, we can not disappoint.”
North Carolina on Wednesday reported another 139 coronavirus-related deaths, which it ranked as the top 100 for the fifth time in a week. The past week was the deadliest during the pandemic, with 715 deaths nationwide.
Meanwhile, another 5,587 coronavirus infections were reported in the state on Wednesday and 3,305 people were in hospitals with COVID-19.
Cooper and dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, noted that virus trends in North Carolina have stabilized in recent days following an increase in early January. But the percentage of positive virus tests remains double digits – averaging 11.2 percent over the past week – well above the 5 percent target range.
“We are past the increase in the winter holidays, but we are still experiencing worrying virus levels,” Cohen said.
The evening clock from 22:00 to 05:00 was set in early December to prevent people from hanging out in groups until late at night during the holidays, which increases the risk of coronavirus transmission. Most businesses must close at 22:00, and restaurants and bars must stop selling alcohol for on-site consumption by 21:00.
But restaurants could continue to fill orders after delivery and delivery over 10 p.m., and Cooper issued a separate executive order last month allowing them to serve mixed drinks with the orders to cover a portion of the revenue raised under the curfew. lost, to make up.
Cooper said he chooses different dates for the orders on the evening clock and the drinks to provide restaurant owners with some stability as the government official continues to monitor virus trends for the necessary changes to security protocols.
“We believe this is a good economic boost for the businesses that are really struggling,” he said. “We wanted to make sure they had additional income during this period.”
Evictions have been hampered since last spring because people closing in on pandemic-related cases are struggling to pay their rent. President Joe Biden last week extended a similar nationwide moratorium on evictions until March.
“Keeping people in their homes is an important way to slow down the spread of the virus,” Cooper said.
Coronavirus vaccinations in NC
North Carolina is struggling not only with the spreading virus, but also with efforts to vaccinate people against it.
North Carolina has distributed more than 99 percent of the first doses of coronavirus vaccine it has received so far from the federal government, Cooper said.
“The problem for our state and the country is that there is not enough vaccine,” he said.
Find out about COVID-19 vaccine clinics in your area.
The limited supply has forced some provinces over the past few days to restrict vaccination.
President Joe Biden on Tuesday planned to increase weekly vaccines to states by at least 16 percent by 16 percent. Cooper said the supplemental offer “would help, but we need much more.”
The governor urged provinces to continue drafting vaccinations, focusing on health workers and people aged 65 and over, and drawing up waiting lists so people are ready to get their shots fired once the state has enough vaccine for it. has.