Cooper Issues Scaled Back Executive Order for COVID Phase Two
CHARLOTTE, NC – North Carolina businesses making preparations on Wednesday night to open as the state nears Phase Two of the reopening plan.
Governor Roy Cooper saying in a news conference that key metrics indicate a move to Phase Two, which will begin Friday at 5:00 pm and continue until at least June 26th.
The new executive order allows for restaurants, salons, and pools to reopen with restrictions.
Meals are being made for pick up and delivery at Burton’s Grill and Bar of Charlotte, but soon, they’ll be able to serve people inside the restaurant under strict circumstances.
“We’re probably going to be looking at early next week,” said Burtons General Manager Aaron Bevacqua.
He says tables will be six feet apart, They’ll take mostly reservations and people will have to wait in their cars for a table.
“We’re probably going to be going above the requirements and along with most if not all the recommendations,” said Bevacqua.
“We are in a good place by making a cautious move here,” said Gov. Cooper.
Cooper says testing and contact tracing are up. The percent of positive cases and hospitalizations are trending down.
“We laid out a phased approach to easing restrictions in our state that relied on data science and facts,” said Cooper.
But the number of new cases continues to rise.
“I would have liked to see this trend starting to level, but it has not yet done that,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, the North Carolina Health Director.
Because cases continue to increase, Cooper says some businesses originally scheduled to open in Phase two will remain closed.
Staying closed in Phase Two
– bars and nightclubs
– gyms
– event venues
– public playgrounds
Opening at 50% capacity in Phase Two:
- Restaurants
- Salons / Barbers
- Pools
Teleworking is still highly recommended. Mass gatherings are limited to 10 people indoors, and 25 people outdoors.
“Wearing a mask all of a sudden for 10 hours a day, mentally there is an aspect to that I wasn’t really ready for,” said Britt Dean, a stylist at Dolce Lusso.
She is licensed to work in North and South Carolina. She went back to work Monday in South Carolina.
“It was a little nerve-wracking because I didn’t know how I was going to feel,” said Dean.
She says they’re Checking temperatures of customers and employees, there are partitions between booths, rigorous cleaning schedules and face masks required for everyone inside.
The same rules will apply to North Carolina Dolce Lusso locations beginning Friday.
“It’s nice to know that I’m going into a work environment which I feel prepared and safe going into,” said Michelle Leskody, a stylist at Dolce Lusso at the South Park, Charlotte location.
“My job is to make them feel happy and feel good and I can make one less thing bad for them at this point in their life,” said Leskody.
Phase Two continues until at least June 26th.
