ROCKINGHAM — What started out as a suggestion from state health officials and Gov. Roy Cooper to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has turned into an order.
The governor on Saturday mandated that all events and gatherings with 100 people or more where attendees will be within six feet of each other be canceled immediately.
The order, which is in effect for the next 30 days, also includes church services.
Many churches in Richmond County have already announced service cancellations on What’s Up Richmond County.
Organizers have the option of postponement or using a streaming service, according to a notice from Richmond County Health Director Tommy Jarrell.
While mass gatherings do include churches, it does not include airport terminals, libraries, office environments, restaurants, malls or other retail stores.
Read the executive order here.
Cooper also made the decision to close all K-12 public schools in North Carolina starting Monday, March 16 through at least March 30.
In Richmond County, that includes Richmond Early College High School.
“Closing schools now will give public health officials time for further understanding of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its effect on the people of North Carolina,” according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Richmond County Schools will provide food stations for students during the closing, according to an announcement from Public Information Officer Jasmine Hagar. Locations and times will be made available at a later date.
School staff can use Monday as a workday to retrieve personal items.
The number of cornavirus cases in North Carolina jumped to jumped to 23, with new cases in Brunswick, Onlsow, Craven, Wayne and Harnett counties. They each have one presumptive positive case, as do Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Durham, Chatham and Johnston counties. The Durham County patient was diagnosed in another state, according to health officials.
Wake County has the most with 10 presumptive positive and the state’s only case confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
