North Carolina COVID-19 Information Hub

Moving Forward

• Gov. Roy Cooper has signed Executive Order 155, extending North Carolina’s Safer at Home Phase 2 restrictions for an additional five weeks until Friday, Sept. 11. “Other states that lifted restrictions quickly have had to go backward as their hospital capacity ran dangerously low and their cases jumped higher. We will not make that mistake in North Carolina.”
   
  • View Executive Order 155
  • View FAQs about Safer at Home Phase 2
• The state has distributed approximately 3.5 million cloth face coverings, 4.5 million procedure masks and significant amounts of additional personal protective equipment to targeted settings across the state. The ongoing shipments support operations including schools, nursing homes, first responders, agricultural facilities, child care facilities and courthouses.
• Gov. Cooper says his administration will soon announce a plan to use funding from the CARES Act to help people with their rent and utility bills.
• North Carolina schools will open in the fall for both in-person and remote learning with key safety precautions to protect the health of students, teachers, staff and families.
   
  • Summary: In-Person Learning in Public Schools
  • Fact sheet: School Children and COVID-19
  • StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Guidance
  • Lighting Our Way: N.C. Department of Public Instruction Guidance
• Gov. Cooper has sent a letter to the North Carolina Congressional Delegation asking for their continued support to address critical needs of the state.

Public Health

• The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a secretarial order requiring bi-weekly staff testing at North Carolina nursing homes. NCDHHS also announced continued state funding for staff testing through November.
• The COVID-19 pandemic will add additional challenges and changes to the 2020 hurricane season, which runs until Nov. 30. Find out what you need to know to be prepared.
• A statewide curfew on the sale of alcohol at restaurants goes into effect Friday, July 31, requiring restaurants to stop selling alcoholic drinks after 11 p.m. Bars will remain closed.
   
  • View Executive Order 153
  • View Frequently Asked Questions
• The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has upcoming events for free community testing as part of the initiative to increase access to COVID-19 testing for African-American, LatinX/Hispanic and American Indian communities that currently have limited testing sites.
• An executive order is in place that requires people to wear face coverings while out in public where physical distancing of 6 feet from other people who are not members of the same household or residence is not possible. There are some exceptions.
   
  • View guidance on wearing face coverings
  • View public health guidance for Phase 2
• The best ways to help protect yourself and help slow the spread include:
   
  • Consistently practice the 3Ws: wear a cloth face covering; wait 6 feet apart; wash your hands frequently.
  • Cooperate with contact tracers if they call.
  • Get tested if you have have been exposed or think you have been exposed even if you aren't showing symptoms.
  • Stay home if you have or have been exposed to COVID-19.
  • Stay home when you can. North Carolina remains under Phase 2 "Safer at Home" restrictions.

Employment

• Gov. Roy Cooper has urged Congress to extend the weekly $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefit, which expired July 25. Those who are owed FPUC for weeks ending April 4 through July 25 will be paid those benefits retroactively. Learn more from the N.C. Division of Employment Security.
• Four unemployment programs will remain in place after July 25: State Unemployment Insurance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, Extended Benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Learn more about unemployment for individuals.
• Gov. Cooper on April 20 signed Executive Order 134, allowing furloughed workers to be eligible for unemployment benefits.
• On April 9, Gov. Cooper signed Executive Order 131 that makes it easier for employers to file a batch of claims on behalf of their employees, temporarily eliminating some of the hurdles for employers so benefits can get in the hands of those who need them faster.

Education

• The N.C. Department of Public Instruction has been awarded a $17.6 million federal grant to develop innovative instructional approaches to better meet student needs during disruptions to schooling, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.
• North Carolina schools will open in the fall for both in-person and remote learning with key safety precautions to protect the health of students, teachers, staff and families.
   
  • Summary: In-Person Learning in Public Schools
  • Fact sheet: School Children and COVID-19
  • StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Guidance
  • Lighting Our Way: N.C. Department of Public Instruction Guidance
• Gov. Roy Cooper announced the COVID-19 Student Response Corps Initiative to match North Carolina college students in need of work experience with local governments and nonprofits seeking help to support COVID-19 response efforts.
• Schools scheduled to start in July have been asked to conduct remote learning until a decision is made for in-person learning.

Community Help

• North Carolina Food and Nutrition Services participants can now use their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards to buy groceries online at authorized online EBT retailers. 
• Mental health resources are available to help residents cope through the crisis. (Learn more about managing your health.)
• N.C. 211 launches an online tool allowing for easier search of resources available for the public.
• North Carolina receives FEMA approval for housing alternatives.

Travel

North Carolina remains under Safer At Home Phase 2 of lifting COVID-19 restrictions.

• If tourism traveling is necessary, travelers should check with local governments to determine whether restrictions are still in place (e.g., beach access, short-term rentals and hotels, visitor centers) and to contact lodging establishments directly for their most up-to-date information.
• Learn about COVID-19 tourism and travel resources, including current destinations with restrictions and things to do at home this summer.
• The U.S. Coast Guard has given approval for the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Hatteras Inlet ferry route to resume service.
• The state's Piedmont passenger rail service between Raleigh and Charlotte resumes operations Aug. 10, 2020.