Governor Roy Cooper announced a new executive order on Wednesday, easing some pandemic restrictions and lifting the state’s modified Stay at Home order.

Under Executive Order 195, bars and taverns will be able to open indoors for the first time since the start of the pandemic and many businesses and venues will be able to expand their occupancy.

“Given the significant and sustained improvement in our COVID-19 metrics, today I am announcing that we will ease but not lift restrictions in several areas with a new Executive Order that will go into effect this Friday, February 26,” Cooper said.

With these eased restrictions, some indoor business can open at 30 percent capacity with a cap of 250 people. Additionally, the alcohol curfew for the state, limiting the hours that restaurants can serve alcohol, will be extended from its current 10 p.m. curfew.

“Gyms, museums, aquariums, barbers, pools, outdoor amusement parks, retail establishments, restaurants, breweries and wineries may now open at 50 percent capacity with health and safety protocols,” Cooper said. “The time for ending on-site service of alcohol will be moved to 11 p.m.”

Other businesses that were limited to operating outdoors at 30 percent capacity will still have that percentage but will no longer have a 100-person cap. That includes sports fields and venues, stadiums, outdoor bars, outdoor amusement parks and other outdoor businesses.

Cooper said most college and professional indoor sports like basketball and hockey can have fans at 15 percent capacity with certain protocols.

At his press conference on Wednesday, Governor Cooper also gave an update on COVID-19 metrics in the state, encouraging residents to continue virus mitigation measures despite loosened restrictions.

“Easing these restrictions will only work if we keep protecting ourselves and others from this deadly virus,” Cooper said. “The order and our own common sense say that health and safety protocols must remain in place.”

Cooper said after “alarmingly high” numbers throughout the winter holidays, North Carolina’s trends have since declined and stabilized.

“Hospitalizations have dropped to their lowest point since before Thanksgiving,” Cooper said. “The percent of tests returning positive continues to decline. This is encouraging.”

North Carolina’s modified Stay at Home order is lifted as more than 500,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S.

Wednesday was the first day educators in North Carolina became eligible for a vaccine under the initial phase of Group 3. Additional Group 3 frontline workers will become eligible on March 10.

Lead photo via the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.

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