Modified Stay-at-Home Order: North Carolina issues stricter COVID-19 rules

(FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) – Gov. Roy Cooper announced on Tuesday a new action to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, declaring North Carolina will enter a modified Stay-at-Home Order.

The new rollback restrictions will take effect this Friday, Dec. 11th until at least Friday, Jan. 8th, 2021.

“This order will require people to stay at home between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. It means just what it says: people are to stay at home between those hours,” Gov. Cooper said.

Businesses, including restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, personal care businesses, most retail stores, and more, will be required to close by 10 p.m.

In addition, all onsite alcohol consumption sales must end by 9 p.m.

“Do not wait until it’s your family that loses someone to COVID-19. Act now,” said NC DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen.

Travel to and from work; to obtain food, medical care, fuel or social services; or to take care of a family member is exempted. Read more in the Frequently Asked Questions document.

“We already have strong safety protocols and capacity limitations in place – including a statewide mask mandate. With this additional action beginning Friday, we hope to get these numbers down. This Order aims to limit gatherings and get people home where they’re safer,” Cooper said.

Gov. Cooper went on to say that the modified Stay-at-Home Order is also a reminder that we must be vigilant the rest of the day – wearing a face mask when we are with people we don’t live with, keeping a safe distance from others, and washing our hands a lot.

“We’ll do more if our trends don’t improve. That could mean additional actions involving indoor restaurant dining, entertainment facilities or retail capacity. None of us want that. All these small businesses need more federal help. Congress and the President need to do that now,” Gov. Cooper said. “However, our top priority is — and must be — saving lives, and keeping our health care system from being overwhelmed.”

Newly released data from Nov. 21 – Dec. 4, 2020, shows more counties across North Carolina entered into substantial or critical community spread.

The COVID-19 County Alert System uses a combination of three metrics: case rate, the percent of tests that are positive, and hospital impact within the county.

“I think it’s pretty clear that the later in the evening you go, the larger some of these gatherings can be. At some of these businesses, people become more uninhibited and people get closer together and can be more opportunities to spread the virus,” Cooper said.