Stay at Home

At 5 p.m. May 22, the state entered Phase 2 of easing restrictions imposed by earlier orders. Key differences between earlier restrictions and Phase 2 include:

• Additional businesses are allowed to be open.
  • Restaurants allowed at 50% capacity and with cleaning, social distancing, and face coverings for employees and staff. Table seating limited to no more than 6 people; more than 6 may sit together at the same table if they are members of the same household.  
  • Barbers, Salons, and Personal Care businesses allowed at 50% capacity and with cleaning, social distancing, and face coverings for employees and staff
• Residents are able to leave home for any commercial activity.
• Retail businesses allowed at 50% capacity and with cleaning, social distancing, and face coverings for employees and staff.
• Outdoor gatherings of 25 or fewer people and indoor gatherings of 10 or fewer people are allowed with appropriate social distancing measures.
• Childcare centers are able to open.
• Parks that were closed to prevent gatherings may open (playgrounds will remain closed).  Check websites for specifics as local rules may vary.

Phase 2 of the reopening plan allows more businesses to be open, such as clothing stores, sporting goods stores, book shops, houseware stores and other retailers. Businesses should see the news release on reopening guidelines for additional information.

Any open stores must provide education to employees to combat misinformation and implement:

• Appropriate employee and consumer social distancing.
• Enhanced hygiene and cleaning protocols.
• Symptom screening of employees.
• Accommodations for vulnerable workers. 

Requirements

The state has placed the following restrictions on businesses under the stay at home order:

• Certain businesses must remain closed, including bars, personal care businesses, entertainment venues, and gyms. Restaurants may only continue to serve customers for drive-through, takeout and delivery. 
• Places of business are allowed to have inside 50% of the occupancy limits posted by the fire marshal or up to 12 people per 1,000 square feet. The emergency maximum occupancy must be posted in a conspicuous place. If the business expects to reach that level of occupancy, it must post sufficient staff at entrances and exits to enforce the limit.
• Retail businesses are required to mark 6-foot social distancing spacing for customers at checkouts and other locations where there is an expectation of high numbers of people congregating or waiting in line, including outside the business.
• Retail establishments are required to perform frequent and routine cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces.
• Teleworking is encouraged for businesses that can practice it.
• Additional business guidance and resources are available in the documents below and on the state’s COVID-19 Guidance webpage.

Orange County Standards for Food-Service Establishments

Per an Amendment to the Declaration of State of Emergency in Orange County signed July 9, the following changes for food-service establishments go into effect at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 10:

• Restaurants and private clubs shall be closed to the onsite consumption of food and beverages and no customers shall be present for the onsite consumption of food and beverages between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.; and
• Restaurants may continue drive through, delivery, and pick-up services after 10 p.m. so long as there is no onsite consumption of food and beverages; and
• Restaurants, breweries, wine shops, private clubs, bars, and any other businesses or organizations that sell alcohol for onsite consumption may not sell alcohol between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. and no customers shall be present for onsite consumption of alcohol between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.; and
• Restaurants, private clubs, and other food and beverage service businesses may not provide offsite table service for the consumption of food and beverages in Orange County between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.; and
• Restaurants, private clubs, bars, and other food and beverage service businesses shall not allow sitting or standing at bars for food and beverage consumption and shall not allow patrons to touch shared surfaces such as bar counters or game equipment such as pool tables, darts, and pinball machines, etc. (restrooms excluded); and
• All outdoor activities, gatherings, or events of more than 25 people are prohibited.
• Worship, religious and spiritual gatherings, funeral ceremonies, wedding ceremonies, and gatherings for health and safety, for work, to obtain goods, and to obtain government services are exempt from this Sec. 4(vi).

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about the Orange County stay at home order. Additional questions and answers are available on our COVID-19 FAQs page.

Why is a safer at home order in place?

The order is intended to slow transmission of the virus, prevent overwhelming local hospitals, and keep first responders safe. North Carolina is now considered to have widespread transmission of the virus, which means people who have tested positive cannot trace where they were exposed to the virus. According to the CDC, people are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest). However, some spread may be possible before people show symptoms.

Can I leave my house under the safer at home order?

Yes. You may leave home for commercial activity and more businesses are open.  However, high-risk individuals are still encouraged to stay home. You can gather socially outdoors in groups of 25 or fewer people and indoors with groups of 10 or fewer people, with appropriate social distancing measures. Many businesses must operate under limited capacity and with additional cleaning measures, so please be advised and plan accordingly.

When out, individuals are strongly encouraged to follow the three Ws:

• Wear a cloth face covering
• Wait by staying 6 feet apart from others not in your household to protect yourself and others from transmission of the virus.
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.

The order says exercise is allowed. Can I take my kids to a playground or park?

Playground equipment cannot be used, but trails and open spaces at parks can still be used if staying 6 feet away from others not in your household. Gatherings of more than 25 people outdoors are prohibited. Community members should wear masks in situations where social distancing is difficult. 

Playgrounds are closed for use due to the inability to ensure adequate physical distancing on play equipment and because the equipment is not sanitized. Please heed closure signs and barricades for play equipment.

Greenways and trails at parks and natural areas remain available for use.

The order bans gatherings of more than 25 people outdoors and 10 people indoors. Does that mean I can still gather in groups of fewer people?

You can gather in groups of 25 or fewer people outdoors and 10 or fewer people indoors.  Individuals are still advised to maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from others not in your household.

What should people do when shopping or otherwise entering a place of business?

The community is reminded to maintain a distance of 6 feet from one another while patronizing businesses and to wear cloth face coverings, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. See our COVID-19 FAQs page with grocery shopping tips that apply to all shopping situations.

How does this order affect those in unsafe living situations?

People whose residences are unsafe or become unsafe are urged to travel to a safe alternative location.

Does this order apply to the homeless?

Individuals experiencing homelessness are exempt from this order but strongly encouraged to obtain shelter. Governmental and other agencies are encouraged to make such shelter available as soon as possible to the extent practicable.

Are at-home cleaning services allowed to operate?

At-home cleaning services may continue to operate, provided that cleaners maintain physical distancing.

How are religious institutions affected by this order?

Worship service, weddings, and funerals are allowed.  Proper safety precautions, including social distancing and face coverings are encouraged.

• Read all Executive Orders: https://www.nc.gov/covid-19/covid-19-executive-orders
• N.C. order extending Phase 2 (Español) - Executive Order 147 
• N.C. order extending certain transportation-related provisions (Español) - Executive Order 146 
• N.C. order extending certain health and human services provisions (Español) - Executive Order 144
• N.C. order addressing the disproportionate impace of COVID-19 on communities of color (Español) - Executive Order 143
  
• N.C. order placing temporary prohibitions on evictions and extending the prohibition on utility shutoffs (Español) - Executive Order 142
• N.C. order easing restrictions, Phase 2 - signed May 20 - Executive Order 141
  
• N.C. order easing restrictions, Phase 1 - signed May 5 - Executive Order 138
• N.C. order easing restrictions, Phase 1 FAQ
• N.C. order easing restrictions, Phase 1 charts and graphs
• N.C. order easing restrictions, Phase 1 comparison
• N.C. extension of stay at home order - signed April 23 (Español) - Executive Order 135
• N.C. order regarding business requirements - signed April 9 (Español) - Executive Order 131
• N.C. stay at home order - signed March 27 (Español) - Executive Order 121