Starting Monday, retail stores in North Carolina are required to take additional steps to limit the risk of community transmission during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
That comes by order of Gov. Roy Cooper, who announced the new rules in a news conference last week.
According to Executive Order 131, any currently open store that sells something — whether it’s grocery stores, big box retailers, hardware stores, ABC stores, pharmacies, convenience stores, car dealerships, etc. — must follow the new social-distancing and cleaning mandates or they can’t stay open.
The new rules went into effect at 5 p.m. Monday, April 13, and are in effect for 30 days (unless repealed or extended). These orders are statewide, taking precedence over any local rules already established.
And what do you do if you visit a store (or work for one) that isn’t following the rules? The old “if you see something, say