CHARLOTTE – Mecklenburg County Public Health wants to reinforce the ways to limit potential exposure to COVID-19 as the state moves into Phase 3 of Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order.
“While our situation is stable or improving, openings and activities will pick up over the next couple of months,” said Gibbie Harris, public health director. ”Public and private schools, universities, sports venues, theaters and more are opening, and larger in-person events are coming that can be dangerous.”
Harris reminds the community that in addition to the 3 W’s (wait six feet apart, wash your hands and wear a mask) there are proactive ways to stay safe and healthy this fall:
• Get a flu shot. Flu season in North Carolina is October to March. Getting a flu shot is an essential part of protecting your health this season.
• If you are attending a large sporting event, avoid activities like tailgating to limit your potential exposure.
• Call an ambassador. If your organization or business is planning an event, the county’s public health COVID ambassadors can provide strategies on how to reduce the potential for exposure when it takes place. They work with businesses to make sure precautions and measures are in place to protect staff and guests against potential exposure.
• Ambassadors are also available on short notice for businesses who get more customers or have larger crowds than they expect. Ambassadors can respond to those events and help determine next steps to stay safe.
Request an ambassador by calling the Public Health Hotline at 980-314-9400 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Here is a list of new provisions included in Phase 3:
• Large outdoor venues with seating greater than 10,000 may operate with 7% occupancy for spectators.
• Smaller outdoor entertainment venues, like arenas or amphitheaters, may operate outdoors at 30% of outdoor capacity, or 100 guests, whichever is less.
• Movie theaters and conference centers may open indoor spaces to 30% of capacity, or 100 guests, whichever is less.
• Bars may operate outdoors at 30% of outdoor capacity, or 100 guests, whichever is less.
• Amusement parks may open at 30% occupancy, outdoor attractions only.
• The limits on mass gatherings will remain at 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
• The 11 p.m. curfew on alcohol sales for in-person consumption in locations such as restaurants and outdoor bars will be extended to Oct. 23.
The full executive order is available here.
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