Empty streets and sidewalks in Sylva as stay at home order goes into effect. Photo by Ruth Dahl
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper issued a statewide executive order for residents to stay at home in response to the increasing community spread of COVID-19. The order, announced last Friday, goes into effect at 5 p.m. Monday, March 30 and will remain in effect for 30 days from that date.
Within the statewide order, people are to stay in their place of residence unless they must leave for specific, essential reasons including but not limited to:
- Taking care of family members and pets in one’s own or others’ households by obtaining medical supplies, medication or visiting a health provider or veterinarian.
- Obtaining necessary services and supplies such as groceries, food, items needed to work from home, car parts, and sanitation products.
- Engaging in outdoor activity, as long as social distancing protocol is followed by staying six feet away from others. People may visit public parks but are to avoid playground equipment.
- Working in essential businesses authorized to remain open. These include businesses that meet social distancing requirements, healthcare and public health operations , human services operations, essential infrastructure operations such as food production, essential government operations, grocery stores, food, beverage production and agriculture, religious entities, media, gas stations and businesses needed for transportation, financial and insurance institutions, mail services, educational institutions, laundry services, restaurants and transportation. For more information, click here.
- Traveling to and from a place of worship.
- Receiving goods and services.
- Returning or traveling between one’s place of residence for purposes such as child custody arrangements.
- Volunteering with organizations that provide charitable services.
- The order also limits all gatherings to no more than 10 people in a single room or space at the same time.
Taped off playground at First Baptist Church in Sylva. Photo by Ruth Dahl
Recognizing that community spread is greater in certain parts of the state, the order grants authority to local governments to enact stricter prohibitions or restrictions as long as they comply with state and federal law. State and local law enforcement will enforce the provisions of the order and a violation may be punishable as a Class 2 misdemeanor.
In addition to the statewide regulations, Jackson County is requiring anybody arriving from another state or country to self-quarantine for 14 days from arrival, along with any other household members. Anyone entering Jackson county from outside the state or country should have supplies to last the full two-week quarantine period. This is part of a supplemental declaration of a local state of emergency signed by County Commission Chairman, Brian McMahan, on March 23.
Operations on Western Carolina University’s campus have been limited to only employees who have been designated by their supervisor to work specific dates and times. Students have been urged to leave campus if possible and most buildings are closing at the end of March.
As of March 30, there are 1,307 tested cases of COVID-19 with two of those in Jackson county according to the Jackson County Department of Public Health and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
