Gyms, playgrounds, museums and bowling alleys in North Carolina can reopen Friday as the state moves into another phase of lifting COVID-19 restrictions.
The ease in restrictions and advancement to phase 2.5 of the reopening has been a long time coming. North Carolina has been in phase two of restrictions since May 22.
“Safer at Home Phase 2.5 continues our state’s dimmer switch approach to easing some restrictions,” Gov. Roy Cooper said. “We can do this safely only if we keep doing what we know works – wearing masks and social distancing. In fact, a new phase is exactly when we need to take this virus even more seriously.”
After 5 p.m. Friday, gatherings can increase from 10 to 25 people indoors and 25 to 50 people outdoors.
Skating rinks, fitness studios and other indoor exercise facilities can resume operations at 30 percent capacity. Aquariums and museums can have visitors up to half of their occupancy limit.
Bars, nightclubs, movie theaters, indoor entertainment facilities, amusement parks and dance halls, however, will remain closed. The state’s mask mandate also will continue.
Cooper extended an 11 p.m. curfew on alcohol sales through Oct. 2 in a separate order Monday.
Cooper’s original reopening plan called for the state to enter into phase three of restrictions four to six weeks after the second phase. Cooper said he has kept phase two restrictions in place because of COVID-19 contraction rates and public health guidance.
Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, Cooper’s gubernatorial opponent in November’s election, criticized the governor’s timing of his decision.
“Is this decision based on science or politics? The science has shown for months that gyms, playgrounds and bowling alleys are safe,” Forest said. “It must be the politics and polling that is changing with this new decision.”
All COVID-19 metrics used to determine safety requirements were stable or declining Tuesday, said Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
On Tuesday, 2,111 new COVID-19 cases were reported by NCDHHS, bringing the state’s total to 169,424. The rate of positive tests was 6.7 percent. There are 946 people hospitalized with COVID-19, and 2,741 people have died.
“As we take modest steps forward today, it’s important to remember that moving forward doesn’t mean letting up on slowing the spread of the virus,” Cohen said.
Cohen issued a secretarial order Tuesday that allows outdoor visitation at nursing homes and certain long-term care facilities. Among other things, homes without an active outbreak and with a testing plan can allow visitations, starting Friday through Sept. 22.
As of Tuesday, 193 outbreaks were reported at nursing homes in North Carolina, and 106 were reported at residential care facilities.
