GREENSBORO, N.C. — We'll enter Phase 1 of North Carolina's three-part reopening plan on Friday, May 8 at 5 p.m.
Here's a look at what can reopen under this phase.
WHAT'S REOPENING?
Child care centers
Before Phase 1, daycares were only open to essential workers. Now, daycares can open to all families in need of service as long as they are following the NCDHHS guidelines. Sports cannot happen without proper social distancing, and overnight camps are still not allowed to open.
Retailers
Shopping malls, clothing stores, bookstores, sporting good stores and home furnishing stores are some of the many retailers that will once again be able to reopen under Phase 1.
Friendly Center in Greensboro announced it will reopen its shops on Saturday, May 9. Others include Hanes Mall in Winston-Salem and Alamance Crossing in Burlington.
They are all owned by the same company so their policies are all the same.
All three will reopen Saturday morning, starting at 11:00 a.m. Food courts will stay closed. Social distancing rules will be enforced.
Not all stores will reopen at the malls or shopping centers. Belk said it will wait until Monday before they are open. The dressing rooms will also stay closed. Clothes that are bought and then returned will be quarantined for three days before they go back on the racks.
Four Seasons Mall hasn't announced their plans yet.
Tanger Outlets provided this update about reopening:
Uniform Destination is the only store open but at 5pm when non-essentials can, Pro Image is planning on opening. Our operating hours for the time moving forward will be 11am until 7pm daily. As of tomorrow, we should have around ten more stores open but each store corporately determines when they will open, so some will open sooner than others. As we find out opening, we will post them to a scroll bar on our website: www.tangeroutlets.com/mebane. Customers should check that and call any individual store that are specifically wanting to visit to ensure their open before coming.
State parks
Twenty-nine of North Carolina's state parks will reopen on Saturday. Social distancing is still encouraged at the parks and visitors should look for restrictions that are still in place. Here's a list of state parks that will be opening back up.
Churches (outdoor service only)
Churches are allowed to have outdoor worship services under Phase 1. According to NCDHHS, the coronavirus has a greater chance of spreading in an indoor setting.
WHAT'S STILL CLOSED
- Restaurants and bars remain closed for dine-in service and on-premises beverage consumption
- Personal care and grooming businesses, including barbershops, beauty, hair, nail, and tanning salons, and tattoo parlors, remain closed
- Entertainment facilities, including movie theaters, bowling alleys, and performance venues, remain closed
- Fitness facilities such as health clubs and gyms remain closed
- Playgrounds remain closed
People may leave their homes to obtain medical services, obtain goods and services, engage in outdoor exercise, take care of others or volunteer.
FACTS NOT FEAR
Remember facts, not fear when talking about the coronavirus. You should take the same measures recommended by health leaders to prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses. That means washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, and covering coughs and sneezes.
WHERE YOU GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS IS IMPORTANT
It is important to make sure the information you are getting about the coronavirus is coming directly from reliable sources like the CDC and NCDHHS. Be careful not to spread misinformation about coronavirus on social media.
NC CORONAVIRUS HOTLINE
The state also has a special hotline set up where you can call 2-1-1 or 866-462-3821 for more information on the coronavirus. You can also submit questions online at ncpoisoncontrol.org or select chat to talk with someone about the virus.
You can also text keyword VIRUS to WFMY News 2 at 336-379-5775 to find out more information.
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