Governor Cooper announced “Safer At Home Phase 2.5.” to contain the Covid – 19 pandemic. on September 1, easing restrictions on some North Carolina businesses. Many businesses have been partially or completely closed since the March 17 order to shut down all but essential services to help slow the spread of the virus.
Slowly over the past months, retail stores, restaurants, salons and other businesses have been allowed to reopen, with certain rules in place, but others — like bars and gyms — have remained closed. Now gyms and bowling alleys can reopen. Playgrounds can now open. Bars cannot yet reopen because of the high transmission rates found there. Theaters are also not yet permitted to reopen. Museums can open at 30% capacity.