A North Carolina city is keeping a stay-at-home order in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic in effect indefinitely, the mayor announced Friday.
Durham Mayor Steve Schewel announced that a revised order will largely conform to Gov. Roy Cooper’s latest statewide order, allowing most businesses to operate if they adhere to strict cleaning protocols and take steps to ensure social distancing for both customers and employees, news sources reported.
But Schewel said the local order will continue to be stricter than the state order, including requiring people to cover their faces in public whenever social distancing isn’t feasible.
Durham also has put its limit on gatherings at 10 people to align with the state order. Previously, the city and county cap on gatherings was five people. The local order also limits funerals to 25 people, half of the 50-person limit in the state order.
The city also continues to limit how and when real estate agents can show houses for sale and sets out specific rules for how childcare facilities operate, Schewel said.
Schewel said a local advisory group of clergy is developing a list of best practices for churches to adopt as they start offering more in-person services.