From Staff Reports
RALEIGH — As North Carolina’s numbers continue to show improvement and vaccine distribution increases, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Feb. 24 that the state will carefully ease some of its COVID-19 restrictions under Executive Order No. 195, which took effect at 5 p.m. Feb. 26 nd will expire at 5 p.m. March 26.
“Today’s action is a show of confidence and trust, but we must remain cautious. People are losing their loved ones each day,” Cooper. said “We must keep up our guard. Many of us are weary, but we cannot let the weariness win. Now is the time to put our strength and resilience to work so that we can continue to turn the corner and get through this.”
Also speaking at the Feb. 24 press briefing, Dr. Mandy K. Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, said, “Keep wearing a mask, waiting 6 feet apart and washing your hands. We’ve seen in the past how fragile progress can be, so we need to keep protecting each other while we get everyone a spot to get their shot.”
Among other changes, the new executive order lifted the Modified Stay at Home Order requiring people to stay at home and businesses to close to the public between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
What more, the new order increases the number of people who may gather indoors from 10 to 25, while 50 remains the limit for outdoors.
Also, the curfew on the sale of alcohol for onsite consumption has been shifted from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
“Some businesses, including bars and amusement parks, will now be open for patrons indoors as they adhere to new occupancy restrictions,” a press release from Cooper’s office noted. “Many businesses, venues and arenas will have increased occupancy both indoors and outdoors.
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