Most New Hanover County facilities resume regular hours Monday

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — New Hanover County will open most facilities for regular business hours starting Monday.

This includes the county’s Government Center, Health and Human Services building, and 320 Chestnut building, which have been operating under limited hours since March 30 in response to COVID-19.

Most county business and services can continue to be conducted by phone or online, so residents are encouraged to continue accessing services remotely and only visit county facilities for essential reasons.

Public health nurses will continue to take temperatures of everyone entering a county facility, and employees and residents are encouraged to follow CDC guidance and wear a face covering if interacting in-person.

Social distancing markers have been placed in areas where the public may have to wait a short period to be served.

“Over the last two months, we have seen unprecedented actions and mitigation measures put in place that have helped to slow the spread of COVID-19 in New Hanover County,” said County Manager Chris Coudriet. “County operations and the way our employees serve the public has been altered and our community has been impacted like never before. But we have been able to maintain our high level of service, and I’m proud of the way our team has exemplified innovation and prudence during this time. As the state moves into phase one under the Governor’s Order, the county will begin to move toward regular hours of operations for some facilities. We will continue to emphasize and encourage remote working for as many staff as possible, and will continue to have measures in place for the safety of our employees and our customers.”

The Cape Fear Museum, public libraries, and Senior Resource Center will remain closed at this time, and will open based on upcoming phases of the Governor’s plan.

As of May 7, 2020, there have been a total of 101 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Hanover County. Of those, 60 people have recovered, 38 people are still ill and experiencing symptoms, and there have been three deaths.