RALEIGH – Governor Roy Cooper eased several restrictions on Tuesday that will soon allow companies to open with greater capacity and more people to meet indoors and outdoors.
As of Friday, bars and sports and entertainment venues in North Carolina can open at 50% internal or external capacity, with a 23-hour limit for alcohol consumption at the fully suspended location. Restaurants, breweries, wineries, amusement parks, gyms and bowling alleys can reopen completely outdoors and with 75% of the indoor capacity. Museums, aquariums, retail companies and stores, hairdressers and personal care companies can operate at 100% internal and external capacity.
Meetings not otherwise included in the updated executive order, set to expire on April 30, will increase to 50 indoors and 100 outdoors. The mask’s statewide mandate will remain in effect, and the required six feet of physical distance may not allow companies to reopen at defined capacity limits.
“These changes are significant, but they can be made safely,” Cooper said at an afternoon news conference.
The announcement comes at a time when a handful of North Carolina counties have expanded the eligibility of the COVID-19 vaccine to all adults, regardless of age, health status or type of work, due to limited demand in their areas.
Amid different demand across counties, North Carolina is changing its allocation strategy this week. Of the nearly 250,000 new first doses you are receiving from the federal government, 97% will be distributed to local providers based on the percentage of residents in a county that has not yet been vaccinated.
“This is a change from previous allocations that were based on the number of residents in a county,” the state Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement. “The updated methodology provides vaccine across the state in the areas where it is most needed and helps ensure access to those who have not yet been vaccinated.”
The remaining 3% of the first doses will go to long-term care facilities, state facilities and community vaccination events.
Limited demand has caused providers in Craven, Cumberland, Greene and Rockingham counties to expand eligibility for Group 5, which covers all North Carolinos at least 16 years of age. In four days, Cape Fear Valley Health has scheduled all of its more than 1,500 consultations available to the general public.
State health officials said in a statement that “vaccine providers should not impose restrictions on the administration of vaccines based on the county of residence in North Carolina”
North Carolina is scheduled to allow essential workers who have not yet been vaccinated to start receiving vaccines on April 7. The state anticipates qualifying the general public until May 1, although Cooper has suggested that schedules may arrive earlier as more supplies enter the state.
“We hope to be able to join the rest of Group 4 and Group 5 even earlier,” said Cooper.
Less than one in five North Carolina adults are fully vaccinated by Monday, according to data collected by the state DHHS. More than 22% of total residents and almost 29% of adult residents have been at least partially vaccinated.
To encourage vaccination, the Winston-Salem-based donut chain Krispy Kreme is offering a free glazed donut every day for the rest of the year to all customers who present their COVID-19 vaccination cards.
Cooper said he plans to work with Dr. Mandy Cohen, the state’s top public health official, and state legislators, to think about possible rewards for those who are vaccinated.
“At the moment, our demand exceeds supply,” said Cooper. “But when we get to the point where we have enough vaccines for everyone and we’re trying to encourage people to get them, we probably need to consider some types of incentives for people to be vaccinated.”
The easing of Cooper’s restrictions follows a considerable reduction in cases, deaths and hospitalizations. North Carolina reported nine consecutive days of daily deaths in the single digits for the first time since March and April 2020. On three of the last six days, the proportion of COVID-19 tests with positive results fell below the main benchmark of 5 %. The state also recorded six consecutive days of COVID-related hospitalizations below 1,000 for the first time since September and October 2020.
Despite improved metrics, state leaders face an increasing challenge to combat vaccine hesitation, although demand still outstrips supply in many parts of the state. Large urban areas are in strong demand.
In Cumberland County, which covers Fayetteville and is where Cape Fear Valley Health has opened more than 1,500 consultations for all adults, less than 15% of all residents have received at least one injection. This is much less than the state average of more than 22% of total residents being at least partially vaccinated. The other three counties that qualify all adults exceed or are close to the state average.
“These vaccines are safe, they are effective and we want to make sure that everyone takes advantage of that,” said Cohen.
Anderson is a member of the Associated Press / Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a national nonprofit service program that puts journalists in local newsrooms to report on covert issues.