North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced that there would be another executive order coming in the near future to further restrict the current stay-at-home order.
At a press conference, Tuesday, April 7, Cooper said that an additional executive order was being prepared to put “guardrails” on the current executive order, also known as the stay-at-home order. The new executive order according to Cooper will tighten restrictions on essential retail stores to require social distancing.
Cooper said, “We’re also preparing an executive order to put more guardrails on social distancing at our essential retailers. Now I know that many stores have already put limits on how many people can be in the store at once, and this order will ensure that those limits are mandatory across the state for retailers.”
Other efforts to enforce social distancing being considered are making store aisles one way, marking areas for people standing in line to check out to keep them six feet apart, and requiring barriers to protect employees.
He also said that the state had received approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to set up housing alternatives by using hotels or dorm rooms for people living in shelters who contract COVID-19 and need to be quarantined.
Cooper noted this had been a big problem for many local governments.
The current statewide stay-at-home order expires on April 29, and Cooper would not say whether or not it would be extended, but that it would remain in place through April.
One model showed that social distancing in North Carolina should extend through May, but Cooper said that the models were only one of many considerations when making the decision on when to lift the restrictions.
Cooper also warned people that although the upcoming Easter weekend was a traditional time for extended families to get together, that this year that tradition needed to put aside so as not to endanger each other.
This man is just abusing his power. Nothing I have read or heard about NC seems to warrant further restrictions….this is ridiculous
…an ounce of precaution could go a long way.
I totally agree with you. This is getting beyond ridiculous!
We do have a recourse for our enormous wonderful gov!!!!!!There is an election in November!!!!! Let’s vote him out and get someone in who cares about the middle class .You saw how he handled the raisers for the teachers in the budget end of last year .He vetoed the bill because he wanted to increase Medicare for illegals.So a veto was issued.You can’t trust this guy,he would raise tax on everything and give the money away .His money that he has came from California,New York and other states that are run by Democrats.They are thick as thieves.They talk a good game but don’t deliver. I guess NC money is not good enough for him . Let’s vote him out in November.
I am grateful for a governor who cares enough about us to p*** yall off! Social distance works! Your choice, 6 feet apart or 6 feet under! Thank you Governor…
I think you have buried your head in the sand! If it doesn’t affect me it doesn’t affect anyone. Wake up!!! This is a very easily transmitted virus. If people would adhere to the orders in place now he would not need to add more restrictions.
Really , people are dying , lots of people . You are blessed not to be one of them . He is using his power to keep you safe .
Teresa, do we really want to get up to the point of warranting tents for the sick at hospitals in NC? The only thing that doesn’t make sense is folks not following the guidelines now for this hopefully short period of time.
You should work in the medical field. Especially on the front lines. Then, maybe, you could see why further restrictions are absolutely necessary.
Issue each citizen a space suit and stop this foolishness.
I agree with you , he is destroying the state. He needs to be voted out.
He is doing it for everyone’s safety. If we would all stay home and not go shopping for non essentials “just to get out of the house” it might be too much he is doing, but until people do this, he has to keep increasing it.
Let us stay apart now so we can be together sooner!
I question the need for tighter restrictions too. The state is putting out some good information, but not coming close to showing a complete picture of what is going on. For example, there are 13 outbreaks in nursing homes, but nothing on the total number of cases or deaths from these facilities. The state is not providing access and is very vague about the models it’s using. Finally, along with Texas, we have the next to lowest deaths per one million in population in the country. It’s not unreasonable to ask the state to consider easing some restrictions by the end of this month if we stay on the current course.
Amen. Democrats in power tend to have that Communist authoritarian spirit that likes to control and abuse. Is this about instilling fear of each other or a tny virus? Most of us have been washing our hands often enough for years. I take extra Vitamin C, zinc, copper etc., and beef up my own immune system. I am in a high risk group due to age and elevated BP. I am much more concerned about the economy than this virus. And so is most everyone else.
He is enjoying his role as head Socialist in NC. Not saying we don’t need to be careful but he sounds like the foolish Governor in NY.
What a JOKE!!! The governor has all these stipulations on where you can go & what you can do complete foolery
All of you that are asking for easing of restrictions… Let me know how that’s working for you when you are sick, dead or have infected your family. Let me know how you are spending all that money where ever it is you end up. You are exactly the reason why restrictions are needed. The rules apply to everyone but me crowd. Thank God this generation was not responsible for winning a WW. No sense of community or nation, everyone for his or her self.
Not asking for an immediate end of restrictions. Only questioning the need to tighten restrictions, especially when the state is stingy with revealing the data it’s using. A lot of people are out of work and deserve to know when they can get back on their feet. We are smart enough to get back to work and also protect the most vulnerable.
This guy is putting our economy in the toilet. It is time for people to go back to work.The numbers depicted by the supposed experts are all over the chart. Most are way over stated so what to believe.
As a physician and a caregiver I can only feel sad that so many of these comments express not only frustration and anxiety but most of all an ignorance of microbiology, epidemiology and recent history in Asia, Europe, several cruise ships, a US Naval vessel and now the epicenter of infection in NY. This is not a drill people. No one has immunity to this virus unless they have recently recovered from a documented COVID19 illness. Even then it is unknown if there is any lasting immunity. One’s immune system cannot simply be boosted and suddenly render that person immune or protected in any way. The mobility restrictions are the best we have. Yes, the economy is tanking and people are tired of being cooped up. Those who have been infected by carelessness or had contact with a seemingly well friend, colleague or family member and suddenly wind up on a ventilator, if there is one to be had, have a 40+ % chance of dying despite the ventilator to support their lungs full of fluid and the effects of viral pneumonia . .Are you willing to roll the dice for yourself? How about your wife, kids, g’kids etc? Surely no one in authority likes issuing such draconian orders but we can’t just wish it away and take some extra zinc. Please Stay Home. It’s all we have to fight the COVID19. Ignoring the Order could result in you becoming the carrier and the reason for someone else’s demise.
Anonymous
A good compromise: Republicans who are taking this pandemic lightly anyway, should be allowed to go out and infect each other. Sensible people will stay home. Hopefully, knuckleheads won’t infect those of us who are taking this seriously.
How many people had the regular flu last year in NC and how many deaths did the state have? The entire state was not shut down.
I fully applaud our Governor for doing what is necessary to keep us safe!!!
Susan, totally ridiculous comment! No one wants to infect others or get the virus. Questioning the need for more restrictions does not make one a knucklehead. It really is normal to question why something is needed. Better to question than to follow like a sheep.
We need to get back to work. The unemployment assistance program in NC is a joke. The governor continues to proclaim that we need more healthcare workers, yet many nurses are having their hours cut or being furloughed because the hospitals in most areas are nearly empty. Wake up , it’s time to get a new governor. Hes only for the special interest groups that support him and not the workers in the state.