NEW COVID RULES: Curfew gone, more sports spectators, bars at 30% capacity

Governor cites progress in battle against Covid and eases restrictions on a wide range of businesses; 'People deserve a pat on the back'

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Sweeping changes take effect Friday at 5 p.m. for bars, events, breweries, gyms, concert venues and more

by Cristina Bolling

North Carolina is easing restrictions on capacity limits at restaurants, stores, gyms, sporting events and outdoor arenas and is eliminating a statewide 10 p.m. curfew — a move toward opening up the state to a more normal way of life as Covid numbers decline.

In a news conference this afternoon, Gov. Roy Cooper announced a new executive order that goes into effect Friday at 5 p.m., which he called “a show of confidence and trust.”

“We have seen continued improvement over the last month. All of the numbers continue to move downward and stabilize. When you look at the restrictions we have put in place — the mandatory mask mandate, the curfew — you know we are serious about slowing the spread of this virus,” Cooper said. “I think there’s been a positive effect, and people deserve a pat on the back.”

[Read the new executive order]

The new executive order includes the following:

• Restaurants, breweries and wineries, retail stores, gyms, museums, aquariums, barbers and other personal care businesses, pools and outdoor amusement parks will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity.

• Bars and taverns, indoor amusement parks, movie theaters, outdoor amphitheaters, concert venues and indoor sports arenas will be allowed to open at 30% capacity with a cap of 250 people. Bars, which have objected most loudly of any industry to Cooper’s orders, have not been able to serve alcohol indoors for nearly a year.

• Larger indoor arenas with a capacity of more than 5,000 people will be allowed to have spectators at up to a 15% capacity with no cap. That would allow, for instance, the Charlotte Hornets to welcome about 3,000 spectators to the Spectrum Center. The team has been playing in front of no fans this season.

• Outdoor stadiums — such as those hosting high school football games, which start Friday — are capped at 30% of stated fire capacity. The previous limit was 100 people.

• Limits on group gatherings are raised to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors (unless covered by other provisions).

The new order is scheduled to run through March 26.

Under Cooper’s previous executive order, which was set to expire on Sunday, all restaurants, bars, personal care businesses and most retailers were required to be closed between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations could remain open past 10 p.m.

Last call for alcoholic drinks at dining establishments was required to be at 9 p.m.

This week, Republicans in the N.C. House filed a bill that would require schools to increase the number of fans that are allowed at high school sporting events.

The bill would require schools to let spectators fill at least 25% of a facility's capacity at indoor and outdoor sporting events. It would also allow schools the option to increase capacity up to 50%.

Covid trends improving: The loosening of restrictions comes as Covid numbers improve statewide and nationally. The number of daily cases has continued a downward 7-day trend in February, and statewide 6% of tests were reported positive on Monday, the most recent data available.

North Carolina has seen a steady decline in the 7-day rolling average of Covid cases. Source: N.C. Department of Health and Human Services

Statewide, the number of patients hospitalized with Covid has declined. As of Tuesday, some 1,530 people were reported hospitalized with the virus in North Carolina hospitals. Source: N.C. Department of Health and Human Services

Vaccine impact: More than 1 million people in North Carolina have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine, N.C. Health and Human Services secretary Mandy Cohen said at today’s press conference.

Cooper said more than half of state residents ages 65 and older have been vaccinated.

Today is the first day that school staff and childcare providers in North Carolina under age 65 are eligible for the Covid vaccine.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials say they’re working with the Mecklenburg County Health Department and healthcare companies Atrium and Novant to get employees scheduled for vaccines. Iredell-Statesville Schools and Gaston County Schools have scheduled mass vaccine events to get their employees vaccinated.

Other frontline essential workers, like grocery store employees, postal workers and restaurant staff, can get vaccine appointments starting March 10.

‘Far from the end’: Despite the improving numbers and relaxed restrictions, Cooper and Cohen warned residents not to let their guards down.

“Carelessness could lead to a backslide,” Cooper said. The safety protocols that have been in place are “making a real difference, but we are still far from the end of this pandemic, especially with the vaccine in short supply.”

Cohen called the new Covid variant that has been detected in the Carolinas and elsewhere nationwide “a wild card.

“We know these variants are here in our state and are more contagious,” she said.

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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Contributing editor: Tim Whitmire; Reporting intern: David Griffith