The Orange County government recently shared plans to gradually reopen county facilities to the public in July, marking one of its final stages of transition from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The local government said in a release on Tuesday it will begin a phased approach to opening certain departments and resources based on the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and the Orange County Health Department. Titled the Orange County Transformation Plan, county residents will see some facilities reopen without mask requirements for those who are vaccinated.
“The goal is to open county facilities and services in a way that better serves residents, promotes efficiency and safety for our customers and staff, and offers employees an opportunity to work differently,” County Manager Bonnie Hammersley said in a release. “We’re calling this a Transformation Plan instead of a reopening, because we are changing how we conduct business with the public.”
Starting Thursday July 1, Orange County Public Transportation, Child Support Services, the county’s visitors bureau and Salvage Sheds at all county waste and recycling centers will all open to walk-in traffic with some social distancing measures but no mask requirements. The Department on Aging will reopen to the public at a reduced capacity and with face covering requirements for all. Each department and resource will have specific cleaning protocols in place, according to the local government.
More places will open later in July. The Main Library building in Hillsborough will open with social distancing requirements on July 6, with adjusted hours to provide time for cleaning. The Shred Center at 1207 Eubanks Road will reopen July 7, with Orange County residents able to drop-off up to two boxes of confidential documents to be shredded on-site. Meanwhile, the Register of Deeds office and Tax Administration office will open to the public again on July 12.
Orange County said face coverings will still be required for individuals who are unvaccinated against COVID-19, unless superseded by state or federal requirements. Employees who work in transportation, medical and dental care, in-home visitation and industries that serve children are also requested to continue using masks. Social distancing, or maintaining six feet of space between individuals, will also be required in waiting areas and other indoor settings.
The county government said all outdoor venues are allowed to open at fully capacity.
Orange County recently extended its state of emergency declaration, initially put in place for COVID-19 response, to match North Carolina’s extension of its own state of emergency. The order means the county will continue following the state’s guidelines on face masks and social distancing. All local governments in Orange County have acted under a state of emergency since March 2020 in an effort to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
To learn more about the Orange County Transformation Plan and its departments’ reopening, visit the county government’s website.
Photo via the Orange County government.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.
Related Stories
‹

Orange County Government Reinstates Mask Mandate in Facilities; Employees to Share Vaccination StatusWith new COVID-19 infections on the rise locally and statewide, the Orange County government announced a shift back to requiring masks in its facilities. Effective Thursday, all visitors and employees in county government buildings must wear face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19, regardless of one’s vaccination status. Additionally, the Orange County government is […]

Duke Expert Shares Thoughts on Effectiveness of Double-Masking StrategyTo mask or double-mask? That is the question some Americans are asking as more infectious variants of COVID-19 are reported in the United States. While a face covering over one’s mouth and nose is a proven spread-prevention method, new strains of the coronavirus appear to be even more contagious and developing ways around vaccines being […]

Thousands of Students Are Missing From School. Where Did They Go?Written by BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS and SHARON LURYE She’d be a senior right now, preparing for graduation in a few months, probably leading her school’s modern dance troupe and taking art classes. Instead, Kailani Taylor-Cribb hasn’t taken a single class in what used to be her high school since the height of the coronavirus pandemic. […]

Racial Split on COVID-19 Endures as Restrictions Ease in USWritten by ANNIE MA and HANNAH FINGERHUT Black and Hispanic Americans remain far more cautious in their approach to COVID-19 than white Americans, recent polls show, reflecting diverging preferences on how to deal with the pandemic as federal, state and local restrictions fall by the wayside. Despite majority favorability among U.S. adults overall for measures like mask mandates, public […]
![]()
New Biden Pandemic Plan: Closer To Normal for the NationWritten by ZEKE MILLER It’s time for America to stop letting the coronavirus “dictate how we live,” President Joe Biden’s White House declared Wednesday, outlining a strategy to allow people to return to many normal activities safely after two years of pandemic disruptions. One highlight is a new “test to treat” plan to provide free […]

CDC: Many Healthy Americans Can Take a Break From MasksWritten by CARLA K. JOHNSON and MIKE STOBBE Most Americans live in places where healthy people, including students in schools, can safely take a break from wearing masks under new U.S. guidelines released Friday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlined the new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 is easing its grip, with less […]

Biden To Give Away 400 Million N95 Masks Starting Next WeekWritten by ZEKE MILLER The Biden administration will begin making 400 million N95 masks available for free to Americans starting next week, now that federal officials are emphasizing their better protection against the omicron variant of COVID-19 over cloth face coverings. The White House announced Wednesday that the masks will come from the government’s Strategic National Stockpile, which has more than […]

Orange County's Indoor Mask Mandate Extended To Mid-JanuaryWith COVID-19 cases back on the rise, Orange County officials are extending the county's indoor mask mandate into early 2022.

Monthly NC School Board Votes on Face Masks Stay in PlaceWritten by GARY D. ROBERTSON Republicans at the North Carolina legislature have turned back efforts to repeal a new law that requires local school districts to vote regularly on face masks, a measure that critics say has contributed to some raucous board meetings. The House on Wednesday rejected an amendment to an education bill that […]

Orange County Government to Gradually Reopen Facilities in JulyThe Orange County government recently shared plans to gradually reopen county facilities to the public in July, marking one of its final stages of transition from the COVID-19 pandemic. The local government said in a release on Tuesday it will begin a phased approach to opening certain departments and resources based on the latest guidance […]
›
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines