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Orange County said face coverings will still be required for individuals who are unvaccinated against COVID-19, unless superseded by state or federal requirements.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 Governments Declare State of Emergency to Prepare for COVID-19Orange County Government and The Town of Carrboro and Chapel Hill declared a state of emergency on Friday in response to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. Chair of the Board of the County Commissioners Penny Rich initially made the declaration, which will allow public safety personnel to better respond to any identified cases that may […]

Orange County: COVID-19 State of Emergency Will Officially ExpireAfter 780 days of being active, the state of emergency in Orange County enacted due to COVID-19 is officially going to expire. The county government shared on Saturday that because of steady data trends and lessened strain on health care systems, local leadership will allow the order to expire at 5 p.m. on Sunday. This […]

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 […]

Orange County Maintains Indoor Mask Mandate, Despite Governor's SuggestionOrange County local leaders have opted to maintain the county's indoor mask mandate with guidance from Orange County Health Director Quintana Stewart. This comes after Governor Roy Cooper encouraged local governments and boards of education to end mask requirements by March 7 at a press conference Thursday.

Orange County's Kizzmekia Corbett One of TIME's Heroes of the YearScientist Kizzmekia Corbett has received several accolades this year thanks to her part in COVID-19 vaccine research. On Monday, she earned yet another: one from TIME magazine. Corbett, who is a Hurdle Mills native, is one of four researchers TIME named its 2021 Heroes of The Year based on their accomplishments to advance vaccine development. […]

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.

Orange, Chatham Counties Announce Indoor Mask Mandates Amid Renewed COVID SpreadEditor’s Note: A previous version of this article failed to state Chatham County’s mask mandate will be strictly for indoor county facilities instead of for all indoor public spaces. The post has since been updated. The Orange County government have announced a new, indoor mask mandate that will go into effect Wednesday, August 11 at […]

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 […]
![]()
Orange County Extends Local COVID-19 Emergency Declaration IndefinitelyThe Orange County government announced Monday it extended its local state of emergency declaration regarding COVID-19 to an indefinite period. The local government’s order, which saw the extension enacted on Friday at 5 p.m., has been in place since March of 2020, aiding the county’s response to the coronavirus pandemic by employing increased public health […]

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