On March 27, 2020, North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper issued Executive Order No. 121, the Stay at Home Order, along with strategic directions for North Carolina in response to increasing COVID-19 cases. Simply put, Governor Cooper’s most recent order restricts person-to-person contact in an effort to mitigate community spread of COVID-19 and to reduce the burden on the state’s health care providers and facilities.
The order directs North Carolina residents to stay at home unless necessary to leave for essentials such as a job, food, medicine, medical treatment, outdoor exercise or to help someone. Gatherings of more than 10 people are not permitted, and individuals are instructed to stay at least 6 feet from one another.
Essential services are allowed to continue under the order and identifies essential businesses as:
- Businesses that meet social distancing requirements
- Businesses operating in CISA identified sectors
- Healthcare and public health operations
- Human services operations
- Essential infrastructure operations
- Essential government operations
- Stores that sell groceries and medicine
- Food, beverage production and agriculture
- Organizations that provide charitable and social services
- Religious entities
- Media
- Gas stations and businesses needed for transportation
- Financial and insurance institutions
- Home improvement, hardware and supplies
- Critical trades
- Mail, post, shipping, logistics, delivery, and pick-up services
- Educational institutions
- Laundry services
- Restaurants for consumption off-premises
- Supplies for COVID-19 essential businesses and operations
- Transportation
- Home-based care and services
- Residential facilities and shelters
- Professional services
- Manufacture, distribution, and supply chain for critical products and industries
- Defense and military contractors
- Hotels and motels
- Funeral services
- Additional COVID-19 essential retail business
This order will be enforced by local and state law enforcement officials and is in effect until April 30, although this is an evolving situation, and restrictions may change from day to day.