North Carolina executive order closes all K-12 schools, bans gatherings of more than 100 people Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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>> FROM WXII 12 NEWS, THIS IS BREAKING NEWS. GOOD AFTERNOON, WE'RE INTERRUPTING PROGRAM TO BRING YOU AN UPDATE ON THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK. GOVERNOR ROY COOPER IS JUST MOMENTS AWAY FROM HOLDING A NEWS CONFERENCE IN RALEIGH. >> AS YOU KNOW WE'RE ALL CHANGING OUR WAYS OF LIFE TO CONTAIN AND TO LIMIT THIS DISEASE THAT'S COME FROM THIS PANDEMIC. NOW WE NEED TO ASK YOU TO CHANGE EVEN MORE. TODAY I'M ISSUING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO STOP MASS GATHERINGS OF MORE THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE ACROSS OUR STATE. AS YOU KNOW, WE ISSUED THIS AS GUIDANCE ON THURSDAY. HOWEVER, DESPITE THIS GUIDANCE, SEVERAL VENUES CONTINUED THEIR EVENTS. SO TODAY'S ORDER MAKES IT MANDATORY. THIS IS A RISK WE CANNOT TOLERATE. NO CONCERT IS WORTH THE SPREAD OF THIS PANDEMIC. THE PEOPLE OF OUR STATE ARE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY, AND WE NEED CONCERT PROMOTERS AND EVE ORGANIZERS TO DO THE SAME. THE EXECUTIVE ORDER HAS ANOTHER KEY COMPONENT. IT DIRECTS ALL K HUH 12 ACROSS THE STATE TO CLOSE ON MONDAY, MARCH 16, FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS. SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE ALREADY MADE THIS DECISION AND OTHERS ARE CONSIDERING CLOSING. MANY PARENTS ARE CHOOSING TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN HOME FROM SCHOOL. WE NEED A STATEWIDE RESPONSE AND STATEWIDE ACTION. I'M HERE WITH THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CHAIRMAN ERIC DAVIS THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, MARK JOHNSON, AND OUR SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DR. MANDY COHEN, AND WE ALL AGREE ON THIS ORDER. CLOSING SCHOOLS NOW WILL GIVE US TIME FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING OF COVID-19 AND ITS EFFEC ON THE PEOPLE OF OUR STATE. I DO NOT MAKE THIS DECISION LIGHTLY. WE KNOW IT WILL BE DIFFICULT ON MANY PARENTS AND STUDENTS. THESE MEASURES WILL HURT PEOPLE WHOSE INCOMES ARE AFFECTED BY THE PROHIBITION OF MASS GATHERINGS, PARTICULARLY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PAID BY THE HOUR. THESE MEASURES WILL ALSO BE TOUGH ON WORKING PARENTS AND CHILDREN WHO GET THEIR MEALS AT SCHOOL. WE'RE WORKING ON EFFORTS TO DEAL WITH THESE CHALLENGES, FROM CHANGES TOWN EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE TO SPECIAL FUNDING FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, TO HELP US GET THROUGH THIS. TO THAT END, I'VE APPOINTED AN EDUCATION AND NUTRITION WORKING GROUP FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND SCHOOLS TO COME UP WITH SMART SOLUTIONS FOR SAFE CHILDCARE. MEAL SERVICE, AND OTHER EQUITY ISSUES. I KNOW AT LEAST ONE DISTRICT IS USING SCHOOL BUSES TO DELIVER DAILY MEALS TO CHILDREN ON BUS ROUTES. AND I COMMEND THIS INNOVATIVE THINKING. AND WE'RE CONCENTRATING OUR EFFORTS ON SOLUTIONS FOR THE CHILDREN OF FRONT LINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS, WHO WE KNOW ARE GOING TO NEED TO BE AT WORK. OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN TURNED UPSIDE-DOWN BY THIS PANDEMIC. BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS. I'M GRATEFUL TO THE PEOPLE OF OUR STATE WHO ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND TAKING STEPS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. LINE SIGHT IS 2020. I DON'T WANT ANY REGRETS IN OUR REARVIEW MIRROR WHEN THIS PANDEMIC SUBSIDES. I'M GUIDED BY A CLEAR GOAL. DOING ALL WE CAN TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM GETTING SICK, AND TO MAK

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