NC will relax some COVID-19 Restrictions

March 24, 2021

On Tuesday, March 23, Governor Roy Cooper announced the state would relax some COVID-19 restrictions which will go into effect on Friday, March 26 at 5 p.m. The mask mandate remains in place and businesses must continue to maintain 6 feet of distance and other safety protocols, but businesses are able to ease occupancy restrictions as follows: 

Indoors and Outdoors up to 100% Capacity:

  • Museums and Aquariums
  • Retail Businesses
  • Salons, personal care and grooming businesses, tattoo parlors

Indoors up to 75% and Outdoors up to 100% Capacity:

  • Restaurants 
  • Breweries, Wineries, and Distilleries
  • Recreation (e.g., bowling, skating, rock climbing)
  • Fitness and Physical Activity Facilities (e.g., gyms, yoga studios, fitness centers)
  • Pools
  • Amusement Parks

Indoors and Outdoors up to 50% Capacity:

  • Bars
  • Movie Theaters*
  • Gaming Facilities*
  • Meeting, Reception, and Conference Spaces
  • Lounges (including tobacco) and Nightclubs
  • Auditoriums, Arenas, and other venues for live performances
  • Sports Arenas and Fields (includes professional, collegiate, and amateur)

*Movie theaters and gaming facilities may operate at up to 75% capacity outdoors.

The order will also fully lift the restriction on the late-night sale and service of alcoholic beverages and increase mass gathering limits. The number of people who may gather indoors will increase from 25 to 50 and outdoors will increase from 50 to 100. 

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