Gov. Roy Cooper announced Thursday that North Carolina’s stay-at-home order would last through May 8, according to The News & Observer.
The order was originally scheduled to expire April 29. It aims to slow the spread of the coronavirus by closing nonessential businesses, banning mass gatherings and ordering residents to stay at their homes except for essential activities.
“It is clear that we are flattening the curve,” Cooper said at a Thursday news conference, according to the N&O. “But our state is not ready to lift restrictions yet. We need more time to slow the spread of the virus before we can ease the social restrictions.”
Cooper told reporters the first phase of the state’s reopening could begin May 9, if conditions in the state continue to improve, according to the N&O. Reopening will happen in three phases, he said, each with looser restrictions than the last.
Cooper first announced the stay-at-home order March 27. Durham Mayor Steve Schewel had announced a similar measure for the city two days earlier.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Matthew Griffin was editor-in-chief of The Chronicle's 116th volume.