3/17/20: GOVERNOR TO ORDER BARS, RESTAURANTS CLOSED TO DINE-IN CUSTOMERS, EFF. TODAY AT 5 p.m. TOWN COUNCIL MARCH 24 BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULED

Governor Roy Cooper is expected to announce today an executive order to close all North Carolina restaurants and bars to dine-in customers starting at 5 p.m., according to a report by OBX Today. The order will allow these establishments to continue taking takeout and delivery orders, however.

See OBX Today at https://obxtoday.com/top-stories/state-orders-restaurants-bars-to-close-to-dine-in-patrons-at-5-p-m-today-take-out-delivery-still-allowed/.

OBX Today reports that the executive order will include an expansion of unemployment insurance to help State employees affected by COVID-19.

The Governor and members of his Coronavirus Task Force will hold a press briefing at 2 p.m. You may stream it at:

https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina

In other news, the Southern Shores Town Council has given notice on the Town website that it will hold its 9 a.m. March 24 budget workshop as previously scheduled, despite the states of emergency declared yesterday by Dare County and the Town to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

The County’s state of emergency restricts mass gatherings of 50 people or more.

The Council’s budget workshop meeting is top-heavy with business, including consideration of a potential beach nourishment project and potential no-left-turn weekends this summer; the Town pay study; and capital street projects.

See the meeting agenda at https://www.southernshores-nc.gov/southern-shores-town-council-budget-workshop-meeting-tuesday-march-24/march-workshop-march-24-2020/.

AT THE PRESS BRIEFING: Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the NCDHHS, reported that 1,100 people have been tested in North Carolina for COVID-19, and 40 of them have tested positive. No one has died from the virus.

Most of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 are in Wake County, which is where Raleigh is located. No cases have been reported in Northeastern North Carolina.

Dr. Cohen said that the criteria for testing a person for the coronavirus are the following: 1) a fever; 2) a cough; and 3) a negative flu test. No longer is contact with a person who has been in an epidemic area a prerequisite to a test.

For a press release about the Governor’s latest executive order, and a link to a text of the order, see https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/governor-cooper-issues-executive-order-close-sit-down-service-restaurants-and.

Ann G. Sjoerdsma, 3/17/20