North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced the state will move into its Phase 3 of reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic beginning on Friday.

Cooper described his administration as “cautiously encouraged” because they see warning signs the virus’ spread might increase again despite North Carolina’s stabilizing metrics. But those metrics and the continued requirement of masks, mass gathering limits and limited capacity at businesses as part of Phase 3 aims to help the state continue to move forward, said officials.

The governor announced smaller outdoor venues, or places with under 10,000 seats, can reopen at either 30 percent capacity or 100 people, whichever is less. Other businesses like movie theaters, conference centers, outdoor amusement parks will also be able to operate at 30 percent occupancy.

In addition, bars will be allowed to reopen with exclusively outdoor capacity at 30 percent or 100 patrons. The curfew the state put on alcohol sales in July will be extended with this order.

“I believe that North Carolina can do this safely,” said Cooper on Wednesday. “But so I am clear, every gathering carries the risk of spreading this disease. Being safe means being smart and making sure others around you are doing the same.”

Both the governor and Dr. Mandy Cohen, the Secretary for North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, continued to urge residents to continue following the 3 W’s: wearing masks, washing hands and waiting six feet apart. They both said continued vigilance of these public health measures will help North Carolina continue to keep its “fragile” stability in coronavirus trends in check.

“Until we have a vaccine or a reliable cure,” said Cooper, “precautions like the 3 W’s are with us for a while. Our children can go back to school and our economy can fully rebuild when we’re safe, and people have confidence that they can stay healthy.”

The state of emergency order, which the governor enacted at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in North Carolina, had previously been set to expire on Friday in its current form.

Cooper had extended Phase 2.5 from its original end date of September 22. He enacted the new half-phase of reopening on September 4, which increased the statewide gathering limits from 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors to 25 and 50, respectively. These limits will remain the same in Phase 3, according to the governor on Wednesday.

When initially revealing the reopening phases in April, the governor’s administration described Phase 3 as when social distancing requirements would be lessened and mass gatherings would be able to begin again. The plan described the state needing four to six weeks of reaching positive benchmarks to move from Phase 2 into Phase 3. North Carolina entered Phase 2 on May 22, but with modified elements, as the state continued to see extended rises in COVID-19 metrics.

Phase 3 will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday and is initially slated to run through October 23.

Photo via the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.

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