Government Roy Cooper on Wednesday announced significant setbacks of restrictions on businesses and other venues as the rate of COVID19 hospitalizations, deaths and positive cases continues to decline and stabilize in the state.
“After an alarmingly high number throughout the winter holidays, trends in North Carolina have slowed and stabilized,” Cooper said. “Hospitalizations have dropped to their lowest level since before Thanksgiving. The percentage of positive tests is still declining. It is encouraging.”
Specifically, Cooper officially lifted its amended Stay-At-Home to close non-essential businesses such as gyms, restaurants and retail, at 10 p.m. The order, signed following the boom of Thanksgiving and Christmas, also struck a 21:00 evening bell on alcohol sales.
Although non-essential businesses can stay open late, alcohol sales are still subject to a curfew, but this time two hours later at 11pm
The changes will take effect on Friday and will expire later in March.
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The extensive changes also extend to pubs and businesses where food sales account for less than 30% of sales. For the first time since March 2020, pubs with a capacity of 30% may be open with a canopy of 250 people.
Gyms, museums, aquariums, barbers, swimming pools, outdoor amusement parks, retail businesses, restaurants, breweries and wine farms can open at 50% capacity with health and safety protocols.
READ MORE: Cooper’s full executive order (.pdf)
Some businesses limited to outdoor operations with a capacity of 30% still have the percentage, but no longer have a maximum of 100 people. These include sports fields and venues, stadiums, outdoor bars, outdoor amusement parks and other outdoor businesses.
The new order will also allow domestic businesses to open a 30% capacity with a cap of 250 people. These businesses include pubs and taverns, indoor amusement parks, movie theaters, indoor sports arenas and others.
Capacity limit of 30% (may not exceed 250 people within 250 people)
- Pubs
- Meeting, reception and conference room
- Lounge (tobacco included) and nightclubs
- Indoor areas of amusement parks
- Movie Theaters
- Entertainment facilities (eg bingo salon, games settings)
- Sports areas and fields
- Local
Indoor meeting rooms with more than 5 000 seats can be excluded from the limit of 250 people if they reach additional safety measures up to 15%.
50% capacity limit
- Restaurant
- Breweries, wineries, distilleries
- Fitness and physical activity facilities (eg gyms, bowling alleys, rock climbing facilities)
- Swimming pools
- Museums and aquariums
- Retailers
- Outdoor parks amusement parks
- Salons, personal care, tattoo parlors
“It’s a big, hard-fought victory,” said Zack Medford, president of NCBATA. “Reducing these restrictions would never have been possible without the tireless efforts of NCBATA members and allies over the past 343 days. We look forward to building on this success with the Governors’ Office, and to rebuilding our bar and taverns. to help set their feet after such a devastating year. ‘
“Reducing these restrictions will only work if we continue to protect ourselves and others from this deadly virus,” Cooper said. “The order and our own common sense say that health and safety protocols must remain.”
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Dr Mandy Cohen, NC’s Minister of Health and Human Services, praised North Caroliners for slowing the spread and keeping up with ‘The 3 Ws’, which she attributed because she empowered the governor to start easing restrictions.
However, Cohen still warned that trends, while positive, “still not where we need to be” in terms of viral spread.
Wednesday’s news conference took place on the same day as the state opened vaccinations for teachers and other school staff. In Wake County, 10,000 school workers have already signed up for the waiting list.
Other essential workers in Group 3 can sign up for appointments from next month.
Tim Moore, speaker of the NC House, R-Cleveland, said after Wednesday’s sitting of the House that he was “encouraged that the intentions and actions of the General Assembly led the governor in this direction” and said he was “pleased “that Cooper took this step.
“I talked to the governor and shared our thoughts with him that we really need to reopen the state,” Moore said. “The trends are moving in the right direction, a lot of the constraints are going too far, and we have businesses that are hurting a lot.”
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