By WECT Staff | May 7, 2020 at 5:09 PM EDT – Updated May 7 at 5:09 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – New Hanover County will open most facilities for regular business hours starting Monday, May 11, as part of Governor Roy Cooper’s modified stay at home order and phased reopening plan.
This includes the county’s Government Center, Health and Human Services building, and 320 Chestnut building, which have been operating under limited hours since March 30 in response to COVID-19.
The Cape Fear Museum, public libraries, and Senior Resource Center will remain closed at this time, and will open based on upcoming phases of the governor’s plan.
Most county business and services can continue to be conducted by phone or online, so residents are encouraged to continue accessing services remotely and only visit county facilities for essential reasons. Department contact information can be found at NHCgov.com.
Public health nurses will continue to take temperatures of everyone entering a county facility, and employees and residents are encouraged to follow CDC guidance and wear a face covering if interacting in-person. Social distancing markers have been placed in areas where the public may have to wait a short period to be served.
“Over the last two months, we have seen unprecedented actions and mitigation measures put in place that have helped to slow the spread of COVID-19 in New Hanover County,” said County Manager Chris Coudriet. “County operations and the way our employees serve the public has been altered and our community has been impacted like never before. But we have been able to maintain our high level of service, and I’m proud of the way our team has exemplified innovation and prudence during this time. As the state moves into phase one under the Governor’s Order, the county will begin to move toward regular hours of operations for some facilities. We will continue to emphasize and encourage remote working for as many staff as possible, and will continue to have measures in place for the safety of our employees and our customers.”
Steps that everyone can take to slow the spread of COVID-19 include:
- Comply with the Governor’s Stay at Home Order and other local mitigation measures.
- Wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- Stay home unless you must travel for essential purposes. If you must leave your home, follow proper physical distancing protocols: don’t gather in groups of more than 10 and stay at least 6 feet away from others.
- Stay home if you are sick, even if you are an essential worker. And cover your coughs and sneezes.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched (like your phone, tablet, countertops and daily work surfaces).
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