NC health chief asks people to ‘hang in there’ under order

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — North Carolina’s chief health leader is asking residents to “hang in there” by continuing to comply with the state business restrictions mean to blunt the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Roy Cooper’s current stay-at-home order expires Friday.

Cooper said this week he’s hopeful further easing of business restrictions could begin.

State Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen said Tuesday that testing, tracing and hospitalization trends used to make decisions on stay-home orders continue to be stable.

The state’s restaurant industry is preparing to open its dining rooms again under eased rules in time for the Memorial Day weekend.