NC Safer @ Home Limits Groups to 25 Outdoors / 10 Indoors

Posted in: Madison Park

North Carolina Remains in Safer at Home Phase 2 Order

 
 

On June 24, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen extended the North Carolina Safer at Home Phase 2 order through July 17. The initial Phase 2 order was set to expire on June 26.

The Phase 2 extension also requires everyone to wear face coverings in public spaces, whether inside or outside, where keeping a physical distance of six feet is not possible. The face coverings mandate goes into effect June 26 at 5 p.m.

Face Covering Guidelines

Growing evidence shows that cloth face coverings, when worn consistently, can decrease the spread of COVID-19, especially among people who are not yet showing symptoms of the virus. Effective June 26, everyone must wear a face covering when in public places, indoor or outdoor, where keeping a physical distance from other people who are not members of the same household or residence is not possible.

These settings include, but are not limited to:

  • Inside of, or in line to enter, any indoor public space, including public schools

  • Waiting for or riding on public and private multi-person transportation, including but not limited to buses, taxis, ride-hailing, private care service, vans

  • Engaged in work, whether at the workplace or performing work off-site, when they are or may be within six feet of other people, including working in or walking through common areas, such as lobbies, hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking facilities

  • Obtaining services in a healthcare setting

  • While outdoors in public spaces when maintaining a physical distance from persons who are not members of the same household or residence is not possible

Wearing a face covering is not a substitute for social distancing and handwashing.

Read North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services face covering requirements document for full details. A toolkit is available for businesses and organizations to remind people to wear face coverings in indoor and outdoor public spaces.

Phase 2 Requirements

Mass gathering limits in Phase 2 will be no more than 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors in most circumstances. These limits apply to event venues, conference centers, stadiums and sports arenas, amphitheaters and groups at parks or beaches.

Some businesses will remain closed in Phase 2 including bars, night clubs, gyms and indoor fitness facilities, indoor entertainment venues such as movie theaters, and bowling alleys.

Certain businesses will be open at limited capacity with other requirements and recommendations including restaurants at 50% dine-in capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements; personal care businesses, including salons and barbers, at 50% capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements; pools at 50% capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements. Under Phase 2, employees of personal care businesses are required to wear face coverings.

Childcare facilities, day camps and overnight camps will be open with enhanced cleaning and screening requirements. Retail businesses allowed to open in Phase 1 at 50% capacity will continue at that level.

Public health recommendations are provided for worship services to practice enhanced social distancing and other cleaning and hygiene practices.

The Safer at Home Phase 2 extension runs through at least 5 p.m. on Friday, July 17. Residents with questions about the North Carolina plan can call 2-1-1 or review the Executive Order 147 FAQ document.

Visit Mecklenburg County's website for local updates and COVID-19 statistics.

Temporary Outside Dining Registration

The City of Charlotte has developed Temporary Outdoor Dining Guidelines to assist restaurant businesses during the State of North Carolina Phase 2 - easing of restrictions. The guidelines allow for restaurants to utilize parking spaces and extra sidewalk/street space for temporary outdoor dining conversion.

Restaurants with dedicated parking may convert up to 25% of parking spaces to temporary outdoor dining. This could allow for more dining capacity while complying with the City of Charlotte Zoning Ordinance and Governor Cooper's phase 2 requirements. There is no permit fee to enter the program. This program will be available for 90 days starting May 22, 2020, or until the full lifting of Governor Roy Cooper's phased reopening, whichever is sooner. Restaurants are required to register temporary outdoor dining with the City of Charlotte and comply with the requirements outlined in the Temporary Outdoor Dining Guidelines.

Register for Temporary Outdoor Dining

Temporary outdoor dining must comply with the City of Charlotte Noise Ordinance, and not be in use during the hours of 11 p.m. through 8 a.m. All temporary dining is required to be inspected by the Fire marshal. Restaurants may contact the Fire Marshal to schedule an inspection at 704.336.8374.

Restaurants will also be able to expand sidewalk dining during this period without a permit fee as long as certain pedestrian safety measures and ordinance standards are met. A Streateries Pilot Program toolkit is available for restaurants to utilize on-street parking spaces and excess pavement for outdoor dining. Restaurant owners with questions about the Streateries Pilot program can email outdoordining@charlottenc.gov.

 
 

On May 20, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen announced that North Carolina will move into Safer at Home Phase 2 of lifting COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, May 22, at 5 p.m. Read Executive Order No. 141.

Phase 2 lifts the Stay at Home order moving into a Safer at Home recommendation, especially for people at high risk for serious illness. Teleworking is also urged when possible.

Mass gathering limits in Phase 2 will be no more than 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors in most circumstances. These limits apply to event venues, conference centers, stadiums and sports arenas, amphitheaters and groups at parks or beaches.

Some businesses will remain closed in Phase 2 including: bars, night clubs, gyms and indoor fitness facilities, indoor entertainment venues such as movie theaters, and bowling alleys.

Certain businesses will be open at limited capacity with other requirements and recommendations including: restaurants at 50% dine-in capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements; personal care businesses, including salons and barbers, at 50% capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements; pools at 50% capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements. Under Phase 2, employees of personal care businesses are required to wear face coverings.

Childcare facilities, day camps and overnight camps will be open with enhanced cleaning and screening requirements. Retail businesses allowed to open in Phase 1 at 50% capacity will continue at that level.

Public health recommendations are provided for worship services to practice enhanced social distancing and other cleaning and hygiene practices.

The Safer at Home Phase 2 runs through at least Friday, June 26. Residents with questions about the North Carolina plan can call 2-1-1 or review the Phase 2 FAQ document.

Temporary Outside Dining Registration

The City of Charlotte has developed Temporary Outdoor Dining Guidelines to assist restaurant businesses during the State of North Carolina Phase 2 - easing of restrictions. The guidelines allow for restaurants to utilize parking spaces and extra sidewalk/street space for temporary outdoor dining conversion.

Restaurants with dedicated parking may convert up to 25% of parking spaces to temporary outdoor dining. This could allow for more dining capacity while complying with the City of Charlotte Zoning Ordinance and Governor Cooper's phase 2 requirements. There is no permit fee to enter the program. This program will be available for 90 days starting May 22, 2020, or until the full lifting of Governor Roy Cooper's phased reopening, whichever is sooner. Restaurants are required to register temporary outdoor dining with the City of Charlotte and comply with the requirements outlined in the Temporary Outdoor Dining Guidelines.

Register for Temporary Outdoor Dining

Temporary outdoor dining must comply with the City of Charlotte Noise Ordinance, and not be in use during the hours of 11 p.m. through 8 a.m. All temporary dining is required to be inspected by the Fire marshal. Restaurants may contact the Fire Marshal to schedule an inspection at 704.336.8374.

Restaurants will also be able to expand sidewalk dining during this period without a permit fee as long as certain pedestrian safety measures and ordinance standards are met. In the coming days, a Streateries Pilot Program toolkit will be available for restaurants to utilize on-street parking spaces and excess pavement for outdoor dining. Restaurant owners with questions about the Streateries Pilot program can email outdoordining@charlottenc.gov.

 
 

Multilingual Resources

 
 

The Stay at Home order has not been lifted.

All North Carolina residents should continue to stay at home except for the purposes outlined in the order.

 
 

Phase 1 Guidelines

 
 

Anyone who is feeling sick should stay home and leave the house only to seek health care or for some other necessary reason. Phase 1 differs from the current Stay at Home Order in the following ways:

  • It eliminates the distinction between essential and non-essential businesses.

  • Allows most retailers (with exceptions) that can comply with specific requirements to open at 50 percent capacity.

  • Allows people to leave home for non-essential goods or services.

  • Encourages state parks and trails that are closed to open.

  • Specifically allows people to gather outdoors while following social distancing guidelines with up to ten people.

  • Opens child care to working families.

  • Encourages North Carolinians to wear cloth face coverings when outside the home in order to protect others.

 
 

The following does not change in Phase 1 from the Stay at Home Order:

  • A Stay at Home order remains in place.

  • Mass gatherings are generally limited to no more than ten people.

  • Teleworking is encouraged.

  • Social distancing, hand hygiene and other methods to slow the spread of COVID-19 should be practiced, including staying at least six feet apart.

  • Restaurants and bars remain closed for dine-in service.

  • Personal care and grooming businesses, including barber shops, beauty, nail, and tanning salons and tattoo parlors, remain closed.

  • Entertainment facilities, including movie theaters, bowling alleys and performance venues, remain closed.

  • Fitness facilities such as health clubs and gyms remain closed.

  • People may leave their homes to obtain medical services, goods and services, engage in outdoor exercise, take care of others or volunteer.

  • Playgrounds remain closed.

  • Open retail businesses must meet certain requirements to ensure the safety of their employees and customers.

  • Visitation continues to be banned at long-term care facilities, except for certain compassionate care situations.

 
 

Residents may leave their homes for the following activities during Phase 1:

  • Work at any business, nonprofit, government or other organization that is not closed by an Executive Order, or seek employment.

  • Take care of health and safety needs, including emergency medical services, obtaining medical supplies and medication, or visit a health care professional or veterinarian.

  • Receive goods, services or supplies from any business or operation that is not closed by an Executive Order.

  • Engage in outdoor activities including walking, hiking, running, golfing, hunting, or fishing.

  • Take care of others, including assisting a family member, friend or pet, or attend weddings or funerals.

  • Worship or exercise First Amendment rights outdoors while following social distancing guidelines.

  • Travel between places of residence, including child custody or visitation arrangements.

  • Volunteer with organizations that provide charitable and social services.

  • Gather at other people’s homes with no more than ten people outdoors while following social distancing guidelines.

  • Provide or receive government services.

 
 

Restaurants will remain closed for dine-in meals. Take-out, drive-through and delivery services continue to be allowed. Shopping malls are open to the public, however, all congregation areas including food courts will remain closed. Shoppers are limited to going into retail locations only. All retail businesses must follow these requirements:

  • Direct customers and staff to stay at least six feet apart except at point-of-sale if applicable.

  • Limit occupancy to not more than 50 percent of stated fire capacity and ensure that social distancing of six feet apart if possible.

  • Mark six feet of spacing in lines at point-of-sale and in other high-traffic customer areas.

  • Perform frequent and routine environmental cleaning and disinfection of high-touch areas with an EPA-approved disinfectant of COVID-19.

  • Provide, whenever available, hand sanitizer stations and ensure soap and hand drying materials are available at sinks.

  • Conduct daily symptom screening of employees before entering the workplace and immediately send symptomatic workers home.

  • Have a plan in place to immediately isolate an employee from work if symptoms develop.

  • Post signage at the main entrances to remind people about social distancing guidelines; request that people who are or have been recently symptomatic not to enter; and notify customers of the reduced store capacity.

  • Retail businesses are also strongly encouraged to:

    • Direct workers to stay at least six feet apart from one another and from customers, to the greatest extent possible.

    • Provide designated times for seniors and other high-risk populations to access services.

    • Develop and use systems that allow for online, email, or telephone ordering; no-contact curbside, drive-through pickup or home delivery; and contact-free checkout.

  • High-volume retail businesses, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, are strongly encouraged to:

    • Install acrylic or plastic shields at cash registers.

    • Clearly mark designated entry and exit points.

    • Help with routing through aisles in the store.

 
 

The Mecklenburg County Stay at Home Call Center will close on Friday, May 8, at 6 p.m. Residents with questions about the North Carolina plan can call 2-1-1 or review the full Phase 1 FAQ document and the Phase 1 comparison chart.

 
Page Content
 
Page Content 2
 
Greg Suskin
 
?œ” @GSuskinWSOC9

DHEC urges people to work out at home, take a hike, isolate yourself from others, have picnics.   Do what's possible to social distance.   The agency is urging people to take action.
 

Advertise Here!

Promote Your Business or Product for $10/mo

istockphoto_1682638-attention.jpg

For just $10/mo you can promote your business or product directly to nearby residents. Buy 12 months and save 50%!

Buynow