Mecklenburg County shares additional guidance on stay-at-home order

There are still a lot of questions about the stay-at-home order, so Mecklenburg County sent out some additional guidance.

There are two different orders. One is from Mecklenburg County, which is currently underway, and one is from the state, which starts Monday.

Essential businesses, including grocery stores, pharmacies and hardware stores, are allowed to be open, but they should work out plans to practice social distancing with their workers and provide hand sanitizer.

Other businesses, like real estate transactions, are generally against the order unless they’re virtual or if someone already had money down before the order.

Mecklenburg County also gave guidance on outdoor activities.

Parks and greenways are open, but playgrounds are not, and social distancing is required. Games like basketball and tennis are not allowed. Golf is allowed on courses, but driving ranges are not allowed to be open.

So what is essential and what is not?

Our local counties and the state have tried to clear up which jobs are essential and which are not, but the lines can get a little blurred for some jobs. Channel 9 is still getting a lot of calls from workers and their loved ones who have concerns about having to clock in.

[FAQ: Cooper’s Stay-at-Home Order]

One type of business that's seen a lot of questions has been hardware stores, like Lowe’s and Home Depot, whose parking lots have been full.

An anonymous employee at a local Lowe’s told Channel 9 that thousands of people are coming into the store daily, shoulder to shoulder.

To clarify, hardware stores are considered essential, per the state, because they sell supplies people need to help with the upkeep of their homes. Construction projects are also allowed to continue, described as an infrastructure need.

One project manager Channel 9 spoke with on Monday said there has been at least one benefit for the construction industry.

“Safety-wise, it actually works in my favor, just with traffic,” he said. “It’s a much safer environment working with traffic right now.”

Corporate leaders at Lowe’s at Home Depot said they have been putting out signs and markers on the floor to encourage customers to maintain a safe distance. Lowe’s told Eyewitness News they’ll also be installing plexiglass for cashiers at their stores.

Statement from Lowe’s:

"The health and well-being of our associates and customers is our top priority and we continue to take preventative measures at the guidance of the CDC to ensure the safety of our operations. All Lowe’s stores have signage encouraging social distancing measures as well as overhead announcements every 15 minutes to remind customers. We also have clear signs and floor markers to reinforce CDC social distancing guidelines. Customers also have the option to checkout via mobile point of sale.

"Some additional operational measures include: enhancing daily cleaning efforts, increasing time spent cleaning and sanitizing stores, rescheduling non-essential services and installations, adding additional third-party cleaning and installing plexiglass shields at cash registers. For our associates, we are encouraging them to stay home if they are sick, offering 14 days paid emergency leave for all associates, with up to a month of paid leave for associates in vulnerable groups. We are also extending telemedicine benefits to all our associates and their families.

Lowe’s remains in close contact with local government officials, and we will make any necessary changes to our operations as the situation evolves."

Statement from Home Depot:

"As an essential retailer, our stores remain open so customers have access to vital supplies for their businesses and homes like HVAC, water heaters, and electrical and plumbing materials.

"We’ve taken a number of steps to reinforce physical and social distancing. We’ve been assigning social distancing captains at stores, and they’ll be keeping an eye out for that sort of thing. We’re also asking customers to practice social distancing over our store PA system and on signage posted throughout the store.

"If you’ve been in our stores recently, you’ll notice that we’ve placed floor markers at checkout and our service counters to help direct customers and promote physical distancing. Many of our stores have customer limits of no more than 100 people at a time and we’re following any city requirements if they have specific customer limits.

"Our stores are closing daily at 6pm to give them an opportunity to restock and deep clean. Following guidance from the CDC, we’ve also stepped up our efforts to disinfect high-traffic and high-touch areas like self-checkout, door handles, carts and bathrooms, and we’re posting signage about handwashing and other preventative actions.

“You find more about what we’re doing here.”

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Below is a list of updates and clarifications regarding Mecklenburg County’s Stay at Home Order.

Allowable and Prohibited Transactions

• Real Estate Transactions

Prohibited Unless Virtual: Anyone looking to purchase real estate, but who has not “vested” money into a house, which could be forfeited or lost, should do it virtually only and avoid any face to face interaction with a realtor during this period. Any communication regarding the transaction should be done electronically.

Allowed with Conditions: Those who have vested money (either by way of earnest money or mortgage loan commitments) which they could wind up losing and closing is imminent or soon to be scheduled, in order to complete the purchase and effect the closing, the following guidance should be used when completing that transaction:

• Walk-through prior to closing:

1. No more than three people may be in the residence at any given time. This allows for the realtor and up to two of the buyers.
2. Each person present must maintain Centers for Disease Control (CDC) compliance at all times in all applicable areas.
3. Practice social/physical distancing: stay at least six feet apart from other people.
4. Do not participate if you have any symptoms or fever.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
6. Cover your cough in your sleeve or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
7. Clean and disinfect any objects or surfaces touched using a regular household cleaning product.
8. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds on entering and leaving the dwelling with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%-95% alcohol.
9. The realtor is responsible for supplying cleaning products and handwashing products.
10. Owners/sellers should not be in the residence at the time if the subject property is owner-occupied.

• Closing

1. To the extent electronic signatures may be lawfully obtained and used, choose this option to close the transaction.
2. For all face to face closings, CDC recommendations (as outlined above) should be followed.

Automobile Sales/Service

Allowed with Conditions: Automobile dealerships are allowed to provide auto repair service at this time. The following is guidance for those interactions:

• In addition to the Service staff, the owner should be the only individual allowed in the service area.
• Practice social/physical distancing: stay at least six feet away from other people.
• Unless the service is brief and the owner can wait outside, someone should come to pick them up while the auto is being repaired.

Prohibited unless Virtual: All car sales, including the entire process, are prohibited unless they can be conducted virtually. Sales staff should not be onsite at the facility.

Essential Services with Face to Face Citizen Contact

Businesses providing essential service such as grocery stores, pharmacies and hardware stores should develop processes within their facilities to assure social/physical distancing: stay at least six feet away from other people. To the extent possible they should provide an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%-95% alcohol.

Outdoor Activity

Outdoor activity is recommended as long as individuals are able to practice social/physical distancing. Guidance for several specific activities:

• Parks and greenways are open for our community. With the warm weather they have been quite crowded. Social/physical distancing is a requirement. PLEASE comply!
• Golf is permitted on golf courses. No other businesses related to golfing, i.e. golf ranges, should be open.
• Basketball pick-up games, tennis and other games that involve the use of shared equipment and space are not allowed.
• Use of playground equipment is prohibited.

If you have questions about whether your job is considered essential or not, scroll below.

For Mecklenburg County, anyone with questions can call 704-353-1926. To report violations of the stay-at-home order, call 311.

For Cabarrus County, please direct all inquiries to: response@cabarrushealth.org.

For Gaston County, call their COVID-19 hotline at 704-862-5303.

Gov. Cooper issues statewide stay-at-home order starting Monday to battle COVID-19 Gov. Cooper issues statewide stay-at-home order starting Monday to battle COVID-19

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