Well, at least North Carolina has a Democratic Party governor who is mostly playing it straight, rather than looking for ways to take power and control people
Cooper easing NC stay-at-home rules, allowing most businesses to reopen
Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic is under enough control in North Carolina to allow businesses to reopen Friday.
The stay-at-home order went into effect March 30, forcing many businesses to close, restricting operations at others and limiting public gatherings to no more than 10 people. Cooper said the order, set to expire Friday, will be extended for another two weeks but will be modified to allow more commercial activities.
Cooper recently laid out a three-phase plan for reopening the state, but he said the timing and pace of that effort would depend on data that shows the virus is waning in North Carolina.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, said most of those trends have been headed in the right direction over the past week or so, including a drop in the number of people reporting symptoms of COVID-19, the illness associated with the virus; expanded testing for the virus; a lower percentage of positive tests; and a flat trend of hospitalizations.
So, what does this mean as Phase 1 is enacted
The new order would eliminate the distinction between “essential” businesses like grocery stores and pharmacies that have been allowed to operate under the stay-at-home order and “non-essential” businesses, such as clothing shops and bookstores, that had to close but could now resume operations.
Restaurants and bars would still be limited to drive-thru, takeout or delivery service under the new executive order. Salons, barbershops, gyms and other personal care businesses would remain closed, as would movie theaters, playgrounds and other sites for mass gathering.
Well, that gym thing is a bummer. It would be nice if my little community gym could open. You could have 2-3 people signing up for 1:30 blocks. It would also be nice to get a haircut. Anyhow, any business that opens cannot have more than 50% capacity, and they need to make sure customers are social distancing and that they clean the store often. Churches can open for service, same rules.
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger called the plan “a continuation of the existing lockdown.”
“Today in North Carolina, over half of our counties comprise less than 10 percent of confirmed cases,” Berger, R-Rockingham, said in a statement. “Why is a blanket, one-size-fits-all statewide order justified? I’m concerned that Gov. Cooper is ignoring more reasonable approaches and the experiences of the majority of states.”
I see his point, but, at this point, we only have to wait to May 22nd, and if things continue to trend the right way, we go to phase 2, with almost everything opening. But, are shoppers ready? WRAL uses the example of one Hallmark business and the comments in their Facebook post to say that many people aren’t. Well, OK, then. They don’t have to go. Me, I need a new pair or two of shoes. I’d like to go to the beach and sit for a bit during my next 7 days off. I’d like there to be no 7 days off. The question is, my business has been getting busier, but, is there enough to have the whole crew on, rather split crews?
Our esteemed host wrote:
The point is: if shoppers aren’t ready, then it will still be their free choice; it won’t be the fascist government violating people’s First Amendment rights of free assembly.
I don’t see any point in phases other than to continue the fascade that the government is “in control”. Just lift the stay home orders and let people open when they can. Customers will come out when they see places are open.