Weekend weather in the Cape Fear region will be sunny and warm, according to the National Weather Service. And it has authorities deeply concerned the temptations of spring will cause residents to ignore the statewide Stay At Home order.
"We’re entering the first weekend of my order to stay home… I need you to do just that. The virus is still spreading quickly… And social distancing is our best protection. Now is not the time for beach trips or neighborhood cookouts."
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and other state officials, including Secretary Mandy Cohen of the Department of Health and Human Services, say North Carolinians need to do a better job of social distancing.
At a briefing just hours ago, Secretary Cohen said people aren’t taking the measures seriously enough.
"When supplies and medical equipment are scarce, it forces decisions that no one wants to make… What I’m seeing in my home state of New York, I never thought was possible in the United States. When too many people get sick at the same time, everyone suffers. There’s real harm."
How well North Carolinians adhere to physical distancing will determine how difficult the spread of COVID-19 becomes for the state's medical system, says Cohen.
Governor Cooper also urged retailers to make sure people are safely separated in their stores – for the sake of employees and customers.