Gov. Cooper tightens mask-wearing guidelines in North Carolina

NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY/WTVD) — With COVID-19 metrics trending in the wrong direction and holiday gatherings poised to make things worse, Gov. Roy Cooper announced a tightening of restrictions.

On Monday afternoon, Cooper said it is more important than ever to take COVID-19 precautions seriously. He once again issued full-throated support of the three Ws: wear a mask, wash your hands, and wait more than six feet apart.

“I have a stark warning for North Carolinians today: We are in danger,” Gov. Cooper said. “This is a pivotal moment in our fight against the coronavirus. Our actions now will determine the fate of many.”

Officials fear the Thanksgiving holiday, with its traditional large family gatherings, could make the situation worse.

So ahead of Thanksgiving, Cooper announced a tightening of mask-wearing guidelines.

The state’s previous guidance called for the wearing of a mask when it was not possible to keep six feet from other people; the new guidance says masks should be worn at all times when indoors in public places.

Cooper also opted to increase the responsibility of businesses to enforce mask wearing inside their stores.

Everybody using public transportation — or riding in private transportation with people who do not live in their house — should wear a mask.

In addition, gyms are now being asked to enforce mask wearing, even while patrons are exercising.

The order also requires large retail businesses with more than 15,000 square feet to have an employee stationed near entrances ensuring mask wearing and implementing occupancy limits for patrons who enter.

Cooper instituted the first mask mandate in July when North Carolina experienced its first peak of COVID-19 cases. At the time, the highest number of cases reported in a single day was 2,481 cases–the state reported nearly cases again hours before Cooper announced the new restrictions. Several weeks after Cooper announced the mask mandate in Juy, daily case counts began to dwindle and the percentage of positive tests lowered.

Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, updated North Carolina’s COVID-19 County Alert System map due to the rapid rise in cases and hospitalization over the past week. Since introducing the system last week, ten more counties have moved into the red category indicating critical community spread. There are now 20 red counties and 42 orange counties. Read the update to see where each county stands and how the system was designed.

“The coming weeks will be a true test of our resolve to do what it takes to keep people from getting sick, to save lives, and to make sure that if you need hospital care whether it’s for a heart attack or a car accident or COVID-19, you can get it,” NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. said.

Read Executive Order 180.

Read a Frequently Asked Questions document about the Order.

Read the slides from today’s briefing.

As of Monday, NCDHHS reports 1,601 people, the highest ever reported, are in the hospital dealing with COVID-19 symptoms.

The daily percent positive of the cases reported Monday was 6.6%. That continues a decline from the 9.4% reported last Monday.

All told, this virus has killed 5,039 North Carolinians.