Buncombe County extends Stay Home, Stay Safe order indefinitely
Latest measures continue fight against spread of COVID-19
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
The Stay Home, Stay Safe order issued by Buncombe County on May 26 will continue indefinitely, officials announced today at a 4 p.m. press conference.
The mandate applies to all municipalities within the county and is intended to slow the spread of COVID-19. It comes hours before the existing order was set to expire at 6 a.m., Thursday, April 9.
“COVID-19 represents a health crisis unlike any other we’ve faced during our lifetimes,” Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Chair Brownie Newman said moments before signing the supplemental declaration. “While there is not currently a vaccine for this virus, the good news is that we have a strategy that is proven to significantly slow the transmission of this virus.”
The State of N.C. reported 3,426 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as of today, with a total of 53 deaths related to the virus. Buncombe County has 37 lab-confirmed cases in residents, resulting in one death, according to interim medical director Dr. Jennifer Mullendore.
Basic demographic information provided by Mullendore shows that 22% of the population of the state is African-American, a population that has accounted for 35% of the deaths related to COVID-19 in N.C. In Buncombe County, she added, 92% of the confirmed cases have been in white residents.
“We are all at risk of getting this illness and spreading it to others,” Mullendore said.
In an effort to mitigate that threat, the county issued an additional supplemental order to the state of emergency declared March 12, with Newman citing social distancing as the most effective means of slowing the growing crisis.
“There is real pain and sacrifice involved for many,” Newman said.
The updated order will be implemented when the existing order expires in the morning, according to Buncombe County Emergency Preparedness Director Fletcher Tove.
“This new order will go into effect, and will remain in effect, until it is repealed, replaced or rescinded,” he said.
The new mandate largely aligns with Governor Roy Cooper’s statewide stay-at-home order, which went into effect March 30, according to Tove, who highlighted three sections in which the county’s declaration is consistent with the state’s.
“Section 1, is (Cooper’s) stay-at-home guidance, which mandates that everyone stay home, and only leave the home for essential business and functions,” Tove said. “The second section defines what is an essential business and operation, and the third section is his mass gathering guidance.”
Those sections were included as “Attachment A” in the Buncombe County order.
Tove then highlighted three areas in which the county’s order was more restrictive than the state’s.
“In the governor’s order, any businesses that can meet social distancing requirements can be deemed essential,” he said. “I want to be clear that this specific clause does not apply to Buncombe County. Only businesses and organizations specifically defined as essential in clauses 2.C.2 - 2.C.30 of (Cooper’s) executive order may continue as essential businesses.”
The county’s order is also more restrictive in regards to overnight accommodations.
Buncombe County, hotels and motels, bed and breakfasts, short-term rentals less than 30 days and campgrounds are instructed to cancel currently scheduled leisure travel reservations and refrain from scheduling future leisure and other non-essential travel reservations for the duration of the governor’s executive order, which is in place until at least April 29.
County residents, guests who have already checked in and individuals traveling for essential business are permitted to stay. Operators of lodging facilities must document the nature of business of new reservations.
The county’s mandate also places additional regulations on mass gatherings, according to Tove.
“All public or private gatherings, of any number of people, are prohibited,” he said. “This does not include any of the gatherings defined as essential in the governor’s executive order 121. And nothing in this order prohibits the gathering of members of a single household or live-in unit.”
The state mandate allows up to 50 people to gather for weddings and funerals, while the Buncombe County order allows no more than 10 people, including staff and clergy.
All visitors traveling to the county for anything other than essential business from outside of the state must quarantine at their residence for 14 days before entering the community.
Buncombe County will also require all essential grocery and retail operations to enforce social distancing regulations.
Wearing face coverings when in public is also strongly encouraged by the county and people in the high-risk category for the virus are asked to remain in their homes.
County religious entities are permitted to conduct “parking lot services” while observing social distancing requirements, Tove said. Long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing facilities, adult care homes and other related operations are instructed to prohibit visitors, with the exceptions of end-of-life visitations and critical assistance.
“The overall intent of this order is to minimize exposure and transmission of COVID-19 across the county,” Tove said.