COVID-19 Information

March 23, 2021 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 204 further easing restrictions in the state. This order allows for increased capacity for several business types with continued use of masks, social distancing, and safety protocols. The order also continues the mask mandate, which requires individuals to wear masks when out in public. This order is effective Friday, March 25 at 5PM until Friday, April 30 at 5PM. An FAQ for Executive Order 204 has been provided by the Governor’s office.

February 26, 2021 – Mayor Tolley has updated the Town of Elon ‘s State of Emergency. The mass gathering limitations of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors remain in effect.  This limitation does not effect capacity limitations on businesses as stated in the Governor’s Executive Order. Indoor and outdoor facilities are open at the parks and are subject to the mass gathering limitations.

February 24, 2021 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 195, which eased restrictions on businesses, opened formerly closed businesses and venues with capacity limitations, and changed the mass gathering limitations, effective February 26 at 5PM through March 26th at 5PM. The Town of Elon remains at a mass gathering limitation of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

February 9, 2021 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 193, which extends the provisions in Executive Order 177 through May 10, 2021. It extends certain health and human services provisions in previous executive orders and delegations of authority.

January 27, 2021 – Governor Cooper issued three Executive Orders – Executive Order 189, Executive Order 190, and Executive Order 191.

• Executive Order 189 extends Executive Order 181, the modified stay at home order, which includes the mandatory curfew requiring people to remain in their homes from 10PM until 5AM, extended the mandatory requirement that a mask be worn at all times when in a public indoor setting and when in a public outdoor setting and six feet social distancing cannot occur, and requires service of all onsite alcoholic beverages cease by 9PM. This order will remain in effect until 5PM on Sunday, February 28, 2021. Here is an FAQ regarding this order.
• Executive Order 190 extends Executive Order 183 allowing the sale of mixed beverages for take out or delivery. This order will remain in effect through March 31, 2021. Here is an FAQ regarding this order.
• Executive Order 191 extends Executive Order 184 placing a moratorium on evictions. This order will remain in effect through March 31, 2021. Here is an FAQ regarding this order.

December 30, 2020 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 184, which extended the moratorium on evictions through January 31, 2021. Additionally, the State has changed the vaccine implementation plan. Click here for the COVID-19 Vaccine Information Flyer. Additional information can be found at https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/vaccines.

December 8, 2020 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 181 placing North Carolina under a modified stay at home and early closure order.  This order will begin at 5pm on Friday, December 11, 2020 until 5pm on Friday, January 8, 2021. The curfew imposed begins at 10pm until 5am daily and travel is restricted to express purposes written in the Executive Order. For more detailed information, please read the Frequently Asked Questions.

December 4, 2020 – NCDHHS issued winter holiday guidance. Here is a flyer to show how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe during the holiday season.

November 23, 2020 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 180 amending Executive Order 169 and mandating the use of a face covering in all public locations. This order extended the Phase Three reopening to Friday, December 11th and will expire at 5pm. For a breakdown of what this order entails, please read the FAQ.

November 10, 2020 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 176 extending Phase 3 of reopening and reducing the mass gathering indoor limit to 10 people. This order begins on Friday, November 13th at 5pm until 5pm on Friday, December 4th. Interim guidance has been issued by the NC Department of Health and Human Services for the Thanksgiving Holiday and Black Friday Shopping day. Please continue to follows the three w’s – WEAR, WAIT, and WASH to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Know Your Three W’s , ¡Recuerda las 3 Ms!

October 28, 2020 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 171 strengthening eviction protections for North Carolinian renters. This order supplements the existing NC HOPE initiative started two weeks ago that pays landlords and utilities directly to keep people in their homes with the lights on.

October 21, 2020 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 170 extending Phase 3 of reopening for three more weeks from Friday, October 23 at 5pm until 5pm on Friday, November 13, 2020. Related to this order is the request for enforcement assistance from local law enforcement, which can be found in this correspondence sent to Alamance County: Letter from Secretary Hooks and Dr. Cohen.  The Town of Elon will maintain the current limitations on mass gatherings. Face coverings for everyone 5 years old and above are mandatory.

September 30, 2020 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 169 and moved the state into Phase 3 of reopening. The mass gathering limits remain at 25 indoors and 50 outdoors for the State. The Town of Elon mass gathering limit will remain at 10 indoors and 25 outdoors. Face coverings for everyone 5 years old and above are mandatory. Additional information can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions provided by the Governor’s office.  This order goes into effect on Friday, October 2, 2020 at 5pm and remains in effect until Friday, October 23, 2020 at 5pm. To see the various reopening stages, please view the Phase List.

September 12, 2020 – Beth Schmidt and Lawrence Slade Parks reopen to the public after staff develop protocols to clean and disinfect equipment and bathrooms, install hand washing stations, and gates. Park playgrounds, basketball court, and Picnic Pavilion are held to the 25 person limit found in the Mayor’s State of Emergency declaration. Trails, walking paths, and open spaces remain open to all visitors. Everyone ages 5 years and above are required to wear face coverings unless strenuously exercising.

September 3, 2020 – Mayor Tolley issues an updated State of Emergency Declaration for the Town of Elon.  This maintains the mass gathering limitations of no more than 10 people indoors and no more than 25 people outdoors. This goes into effect Friday, September 4 at 5pm.

September 1, 2020 – Governor Cooper issues Executive Order 163, which goes into effect Friday, September 4 at 5pm. This order changes capacity requirements for restaurants and retail stores, allows Gyms to open at 30% capacity, maintains the alcoholic beverage service curfew, and requires face coverings to be worn by everyone age 5 years old and above. For frequently asked questions please click the appropriate language: FAQ English, FAQ Spanish.

August 12, 2020 – Elon University issues a letter regarding their efforts around the health and safety of the local and campus community. This is Elon’s paramount priority as we implement significant modifications of the campus environment, daily operations, and personal
practices. The letter can be found here: Elon University Community Letter_August 12 2020.  For additional information and frequent updates, visit the University’s Ready & Resilient page. Elon University COVID-19 Dashboard is a source of information for our community, combining information from multiple sources to illustrate and track the impact of the pandemic.

August 4, 2020 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 155 extending Phase Two Safer at Home for five more weeks through Friday, September 11 at 5pm.

July 28, 2020 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 153 imposing a restriction on alcohol sales for on site consumption after 11pm beginning  Friday, July 31, 2020. Here is the FAQ accompanying the Executive Order to help explain the mandate.  Additionally, Governor Cooper did not extend the prohibition on utility shot offs and evictions, which expires July 29, 2020 at 11:59pm.

July 16, 2020 – Governor  Cooper continues Phase Two restrictions with Executive Order 151 until August 7 at 5pm. The restrictions and requirements in Executive Orders 141 and 147 are extended through August 7 at 5pm. Executive Order 151 amends Executive Order 141 by removing the text “Venues for Receptions or Parties” and added the following: E. Limit on Receptions or Parties: Parties and receptions, like all other private events or convenings which are not excepted from the prohibition on Mass Gatherings, are limited to the Mass Gathering limit of ten ( 10) people indoors or twenty-five (25) people outdoors. This limit applies regardless whether the event takes place in a restaurant, in a conference center, in a hotel ballroom, in a venue that is used exclusively for receptions or parties, or in some other space open under this Executive Order. Executive Order 151 also extends the price gouging period. Click here for more information on Phase Two.

June 24, 2020 – Governor Cooper extends Phase Two restrictions with Executive Order 147 and requires the use of face coverings for everyone across the state. For more information on face coverings, please read the Interim Guidance on Face Coverings.  For a breakdown of the Executive Order, please read the Executive Order 147 FAQs. To see what the phase means check here – Phase List.

June 4, 2020 – Governor Cooper issues Executive Order 143 to address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color.

May 30, 2020 – Governor Cooper issues Executive Order 142 assisting North Carolina citizens by placing temporary prohibitions on evictions and extending the prohibition on utility shut-offs.

May 22, 2020 –  Mayor Tolley amended the Town of Elon’s Emergency Declaration to change the limitation on mass gatherings to be in line with the Governor’s Executive Order 141 to 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors. The limitations placed on the K-9 Corner on April 28th remain in effect. No more than 15 people in the active area and a limit of 5 people in the inactive area.

May 20, 2020 –  Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 141 taking us into Phase Two of reopening. Phase Two will occur at 5pm on Friday, May 22. Religious services are exempt to the mass gathering restrictions. Interim guidance for businesses allowed to reopen can be found here.

May 5, 2020 – Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 138 taking us into Phase One of reopening. To better understand what the changes are in Phase One, check out this chart – Phase-1-Chart.  Phase One of reopening will begin on Friday, May 8 at 5pm. Additional guidance for religious services can be found here.

April 28, 2020 – Effective Immediately: Limit of 15 people in the active area of the K9 Corner at Beth Schmidt Park and a limit of 5 people in the inactive area.  More information here.

April 23, 2020 – Governor Cooper extends stay at home order through Friday, May 8th with Executive Order 135. Additional information can be found here.

April 9, 2020 – NC Governor Executive Order 131 – This order provides requirements for retail establishments and long term care facilities. The retail section of this order is effective Monday, April 13, 2020 at 5pm. The long term care facilitiy section became effective on Friday, April 10, 2020.

Town Newsletter Update on COVID-19 response

April 7, 2020 – Effective on April 7, 2020, an interim policy for Infrastructure Construction Inspections has been put in place due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

April 3, 2020 – Move-Out Guidance for Students Living Off-Campus: https://www.elon.edu/u/coronavirus/information-for-everyone/

Governor Cooper issues a statewide stay at home order beginning at 5pm, March 30, 2020 until Wednesday, April 29, 2020 in Executive Order 121.  For more information, please read these frequently asked questions (FAQs).

Memo from Mayor Jerry Tolley to the citizens of the Town of Elon March 24, 2020

• Waiver of late fees on parking tickets and water bills, deferral of water bill non payment shut offs until June

Preventative Measures

The Town of Elon is implementing the following steps and asking residents to take some preventative measures as well.

• Town Hall is open to the public. Masks are required to be worn when inside the building.
• Residents can pay utility bills for FREE online at https://www.townofelon.com/how-do-i/online-payment-services/.
• Town Hall and other Town buildings continue to receive twice daily cleanings.
• Staff is asking all visitors and employees to refrain from entering Town facilities if they are sick or are exhibiting fever, coughing, or breathing difficulties.
• The Elon Police Station is closed to the public. If you need to contact the the department, please call 336.584.1301 or use the online contact form: https://www.townofelon.com/contact-us/ and select Police Department. If you have an emergency, call 911.
• Town staff will ensure more frequent cleaning of surfaces in Town buildings and increased availability of handwashing and sanitizing supplies.
• Employees have been asked to follow recommended preventative measures and will be required to wear masks when dealing with the public. If employees are exhibiting fever, coughing, or breathing difficulties, they are asked to stay home, contact their supervisor, and contact their healthcare provider.
• A staffing plan is in place to allow for work from home and rotation of staff to minimize the risk of contamination by COVID-19.
• If you have not registered for Elon Connect, please do so here. This system will be used to communicate emergency information.
• Staff will closely monitor emerging news and advice and remain flexible on next steps.

General Precautions

There are some common sense measures everyone can take to protect themselves and others from the spread of respiratory illnesses including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

• Do not congregate in groups over ten people and practice social distancing.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds at a time.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are ill.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Do not reuse the tissue after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched.

It is also good practice to start being more aware of the number of times a day your hands touch an object or hard surface and then touch your face without being washed. Limiting the exposure of your nose, mouth, and eyes to unwashed hands can help to protect from the spread of all germs and illnesses.

Information and updates

For updates, the Town recommends residents frequently check the NC Department of Health and Human Services website, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Response in North Carolina, or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, http://coronavirus.gov.