Cooper lifts North Carolina’s modified stay-at-home order

(The Center Square) – Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order Wednesday that lifts North Carolina’s statewide curfew and eases other COVID-19 restrictions.

The modified stay-at-home order first took effect Dec. 11 and was set to expire Sunday. It now will expire at 5 p.m. Friday.

The stay-at-home order requires restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and personal care businesses to close at 10 p.m. and all outdoor gatherings to end by 10 p.m. Businesses cannot serve or sell alcohol between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Under the new order, the curfew on the sale of alcohol for onsite consumption would extended to 11 p.m. Bars and amusement parks can be open for indoor service, and capacity and gathering limits would increase.

“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 during a news briefing Wednesday.

Starting Friday, the number of people who may gather indoors will increase from 10 people to 25 people. The order allows some venues to operate indoors at 30% below their occupancy limits but no more than 250 people would be allowed indoors. Others can operate at 50% capacity.

Under the 30% capacity regulation are bars, reception halls, conference rooms, lounges, night clubs, indoor amusement parks, movie theaters and entertainment facilities. Those venues with more than 5,000 seats can expand their capacity by 15% more, under the order.

Under the 50% capacity limit are restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, gyms, bowling alleys, rock climbing facilities, pools, museums, aquariums, retailer shops, outdoor areas amusement parks, salons and tattoo parlors.

Since the pandemic hit the state in March, Cooper, a Democrat, and Republicans have been at odds over the COVID-19 restrictions. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, said he was encouraged by Cooper’s steps toward reopening the economy.

“I have spoken to the governor and shared with him our thoughts that we really need to be reopening the state. The trends are moving in the right direction, many of the restrictions go too far, and we have businesses who are really hurting,” Moore said. “North Carolina has lagged behind most of our neighboring states when it comes to reopening.”

The new order expires at 5 p.m. March 26.

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