On Friday, 3/27 Governor Roy Cooper signed a Stay-At-Home order for the entire state of North Carolina. The order goes into effect at 5pm Monday, March 30 and remains in effect until April 29th. Violating the Stay-At-Home order is a class-two misdemeanor. 

You must stay home except for:

• your job
• food
• medicine
• outdoor exercise
• to help others

The order also bans gatherings to less than 10 people and directs everyone to stay at least six feet away from each other. 

North Carolina has confirmed 764 cases in 60 counties throughout our state. As expected, our numbers continue to increase rapidly.

Cooper’s remarks:

"To continue our aggressive battle to slow the spread of COVID-19, I have signed a stay-at-home order for the entire state of North Carolina. Enforcement begins at 5pm on Monday (3/30), but we urge you to start as soon as possible. 

Consider our nurses, doctors, custodial staff and other hospital workers who will be stretched beyond their capacity if we are unable to slow the spread of this disease. Consider your family and friends you may infect if you are carrying the virus. We need to keep them safe.

CDC shows NC is experiencing widespread transmission. Some don’t know how they got the virus.

The best tool we currently have is being physically distant and staying at home.

I know this is hard, and some people have lost jobs as a result. I will do everything I can to cushion the economic blow.

NC has had more than 200,000 unemployment claims filed related to COVID-19, and the first unemployment benefits will be paid early next week. I’m fighting for federal and state help for workers, their families, and businesses. We will not forget those who have lost their livelihoods in this crisis.

But we have to act now in the safest, smartest way when we have the chance to save lives. It’s truly a matter of life and death.

#StayHomeSaveLives

Read the full stay-at-home order here (LINK)

FAQ’s about the order answered here (LINK)