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Coronavirus fears affected magistrate marriages in Triangle. They’ll now resume in Wake.

After being closed to marriages amid fears over the coronavirus, the Wake County magistrate’s office will start performing weddings again Monday.

Wake County Chief Magistrate Chris Graves told WRAL that no appointments are required and ceremonies will take place outside the magistrate’s office at 3301 Hammond Road.

He asks that those coming to get married limit the number of people they bring with them and says social distancing will be practiced.

Chatham County and Orange County magistrates are not performing marriages and have not said when they will resume amid concerns over coronavirus.

Durham County and Johnston County magistrates are performing marriages.

In Johnston, marriages are being performed by magistrates in the civil magistrate’s office at 120 S 3rd Street in Smithfield. They are only being conducted on Wednesdays, a magistrate told The News & Observer.

In Durham, marriages are being performed from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

The magistrates’ offices are restricting the number of people who can be present to the two required adult witnesses.

In Durham, deputies are taking couples’ and witnesses’ temperature and wearing masks and gloves. Everyone but the bride and groom is required to maintain a distance of six feet from other people.

Follow More of Our Reporting on Coronavirus in North Carolina

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Ashad Hajela
The News & Observer
Ashad Hajela reports on public safety for The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. He studied journalism at New York University.
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