Gov. Roy Cooper has banned gatherings of more than 50 people and ordered some businesses to close by Wednesday as he tightened restrictions meant to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

Businesses that must shut down include gyms, movie theaters and nail and hair salons. Cooper urged the businesses to close as soon as possible. The governor also closed all school buildings until May 15.

Previously, Cooper had banned mass gatherings of more than 100 people, closed K-12 schools through at least March 30 and banned dine-in service at restaurants and bars.

There are more than 300 cases of COVID-19 in North Carolina, and labs in the state have tested more than 8,400 people. State Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen said there are thousands more samples already taken and waiting to be tested, and called the state a leader in testing. Cooper said the federal government has not given North Carolina the testing supplies it should have given.

Cooper said 11 people in the state are in the hospital right now with COVID-19.

The state has relied on counties to track hospitalized patients, Cohen said. Some patients are in acute hospital beds, others in intensive care.

“We are lucky we have not reported a death,” Cohen said.

Businesses that must close

Cooper ordered two types of businesses to close by 5 p.m. Wednesday: personal care and grooming businesses, and entertainment facilities without retail or dining.

Examples of entertainment facilities in Cooper’s order:

▪ Bingo parlors, including those run by charities

▪ Bowling alleys

▪ Gyms

▪ Yoga studios

▪ Martial arts facilities

▪ Indoor trampoline facilities

▪ Rock-climbing facilities

▪ Health clubs

▪ Indoor pools

▪ Live performance venues

▪ Movie theaters

▪ Skating rinks

▪ Spas

▪ Sweepstakes lounges

▪ Video game arcades.

Personal care and grooming businesses include, according to the order:

▪ Barber shops

▪ Beauty salons, including those doing waxing and hair removal

▪ Hair salons

▪ Nail salons and manicure and pedicure providers

▪ Massage parlors

▪ Tattoo parlors

No shelter in place

The largest number of cases are in the Charlotte area, followed by Wake and Durham counties.

Cohen said officials know with certainty that the state has “community transmission,” which means positive cases for people who haven’t traveled internationally or had known contact with someone who has COVID-19.

The governor has stopped short of any orders to stay at home or “shelter-in-place” as states like California have issued. Cooper said they’ve already closed some non-essential businesses, urged people who are high-risk to stay home and banned mass gatherings of more than 50 people.

“We’re coming up for an option of every single scenario,” Cooper said. He said each new restriction is to protect North Carolinians.

Special session?

The state legislature is not due back in session until April 28, though at least one lawmaker wants to come back earlier for a special session.

Cooper said he’s been talking to both Republicans and Democrats.

“The first thing that needs to happen before our state legislature comes back is we have to have a package passed by the federal government. Right now, they’re struggling with that,” he said.

Cooper wants the state package to supplement the federal package and make sure it helps workers and ordinary people.

“A lot of families are taking it on the chin and hurting right now,” he said.

This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 1:16 PM.

Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan

The News & Observer

919-829-4877

Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan is the Capitol Bureau Chief for The News & Observer, leading coverage of the legislative and executive branches in North Carolina with a focus on the governor, General Assembly leadership and state budget. She has received the McClatchy President’s Award, N.C. Open Government Coalition Sunshine Award and several North Carolina Press Association awards, including for politics and investigative reporting.