UPDATE: Governor Orders Bars, Restaurants to Close Dine-In; Day cares not ordered closed
Gov. Roy Cooper held a news conference to speak on today’s announcement about the closure of bars and restaurants for dine-in service. Several key items of note came from the news conference (with many other updates below). But of the key information:
- NC bars and restaurants will be closed to sit-down service. Only take-out and delivery services starting at 5 p.m. today.
- Order does five things for unemployment benefits.
- Removes 1 week waiting period to apply for benefits.
- Removes requirement to look for another job during unemployment.
- Allows employees who lose jobs or have reduced hours to apply for benefits
- Permits applicants to apply for benefits remotely
- Directs employers will not be held responsible for benefits paid based on COVID-19 claims.
- Day cares are not ordered closed, but should follow specific guidance on keeping children, staff and families safe, but no recommendation of closure.
Governor Cooper and members of his Coronavirus Task Force will provide an important update at 2pm. Watch live here: https://t.co/UV6mwCj17u pic.twitter.com/ZzXq13Qg7F
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) March 17, 2020
Of note from Gov. Cooper’s news conference:
- 40 cases in 16 counties in state as of this morning, but no diagnosed community spread yet.
- Likely community spread has already happened
- NC bars and restaurants will be closed to sit-down service. Only take-out and delivery services starting at 5 p.m. today.
- “North Carolina must keep fighting this pandemic with the right weapons.”
- “Please know that grocery stores will remain open. … Urge people not to go overboard. Leave some for others.”
- “I recognize that this decision will cost people their jobs. This order also provides them some relief.”
- Order does five things for unemployment benefits.
- Removes 1 week waiting period to apply for benefits.
- Removes requirement to look for another job during unemployment.
- Allows employees who lose jobs or have reduced hours to apply for benefits
- Permits applicants to apply for benefits remotely
- Directs employers will not be held responsible for benefits paid based on COVID-19 claims.
- Anticipate additional help coming for businesses from Federal Government.
- “I know some people are afraid. Some are angry. Many are worried. We will get through this,” Cooper said.
- “Some things are just gonna have to change for a while.”
- “We will learn from this and we will be better than we were before.”
- DR. MANDY COHEN: “Our goal is to slow the spread of the infection so fewer people get sick at the same time.” to help ease the strain on hospitals and medical personnel.
- Cohen: North Carolina executive order stays at gatherings of 100 people or fewer, but guidelines for social distancing should be followed.
- Cohen: Testing being done by state, hospitals, testing labs and many others. Will continue to grow.
- Cohen: Access to testing will expand at additional sample collection sites.
- Cohen: If you have symptoms, call your doctor first. If you don’t have one, call your health department. Do not go to the location first.
- Cohen: Most people who get the virus will not need medical care. But helping to safeguard those who will is important.
- ERIC HOOKS, Department of Public Safety: “We are not taking anything for granted. … Our state emergency response is strong in North Carolina.”
- Hooks: Please lean on only trusted sites for information.
- Cooper: “We know that our small businesses are going to need relief.” Expect much of that to come from Federal government.
- Cooper: Other types of businesses can still operate, but changes could come. Hopefully most businesses will voluntarily follow guidelines in place and mandatory closures won’t be required.
- Cooper: Day cares not ordered closed, but should follow specific guidance on keeping children, staff and families safe, but no recommendation of closure.
- Cohen: On day cares – “There is no right or wrong answer. The reality is that we need them. … We are working hard to give them the best guidance possible that they can take.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
Governor Roy Cooper has issued an order that all restaurants and bars must close dine-in services, but can continue take-out and to-go orders.
The Governor issued an advisory saying that at today’s 2 p.m. media briefing, he will announce “a new executive order in response to COVID-19 that closes restaurants and bars for dine-in customers but allows them to continue takeout and delivery orders. The executive order will also include an expansion of unemployment insurance to help North Carolina workers affected by COVID-19.”
The order is expected to be effective by 5 pm today, Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) March 17, 2020
