North Carolinians are Divided over Governor Cooper's Curfew

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D) at a press conference in November. Source.

The United States has recently experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases, and North Carolina is no exception. In fact, due to the recent surge in cases, NC Governor Roy Cooper has issued yet another set of restrictions, this time implementing a curfew. 

As of December 11, more than 5,600 people have died in NC as a result of COVID-19. This is undoubtedly a part of the reason why Cooper moved to implement a curfew in order to slow the spread. The new order however is not changing any of the previous restrictions already in place, including the occupancy restriction. The curfew is in place from 10 pm until 5 am and will last until January 8. Cooper based this decision on two states with Republican governors, Ohio and Massachusetts. These states have had a curfew in place since November, yet cases continue to climb. 

Under the new order, businesses are required to suspend all alcohol sales after 9 pm and are required to be closed by 10 pm; however, essential businesses, such as grocery stores and pharmacies are allowed to remain open. Third-party delivery services are allowed to continue after 10 pm along with people who are offering essential services. Additionally, if someone is caught out during the curfew, they are not required to show proof. 

Although the new restriction is not too different from previous restrictions, many people have voiced their opinions on the issue, including businesses. Republicans have been the most critical of Cooper even going as far as to deem him “King Roy” and comparing him to the grinch, claiming he is trying to steal Christmas. This is mainly due to the fact Republicans feel Cooper has been exercising his emergency executive powers for too long and are concerned about government overreach. Instead, they believe Cooper should be getting approval from the Council of State. Senate Leader Phil Berger (R) believes Cooper is attempting to keep people safe,  however, he feels Cooper is going about it the wrong way and that a curfew is not a solution. 

Furthermore, the general public is split. Some North Carolinians doubt the effectiveness of the masks and the restrictions; some will go as far as to claim the virus is fake. It does not help that some people are experiencing “COVID fatigue” considering the pandemic has been going on since March and are no longer willing to listen to the mandates. Others feel as though the restrictions are not strict enough. State health officials believe the best way to get people to listen is for local officials to stress the importance of abiding by the mandates and to inform their communities about how the pandemic is directly affecting them. 

Businesses have been the most outspoken about the new restrictions with many claiming it is going to be harder to conduct business with the new restriction. The restrictions as a whole are especially difficult for small businesses during the holiday season. Some people, such as Uber drivers, will be negatively affected by the new curfew. Although third-party delivery services are allowed to operate, the closure of businesses and the limit of people after 10 pm will hurt ride-sharing businesses.

The biggest question to arise from the new restriction is how will it be enforced? Wake County has been lenient and has only issued 20-25 citations during the pandemic. Citations typically include a fine, court fees, and a Class 2 misdemeanor, however, much of law enforcement prefers to issue a warning before issuing a citation. Some Sheriff departments have no plans on enforcing the curfew due to a lack of resources and claim that stopping people for breaking curfew would be distracting and prevent officers from addressing serious safety concerns. 

There is no doubt the safety of North Carolinians is a priority for Governor Cooper and other officials, however, the economic welfare of North Carolinians is also important. Republicans have repeatedly passed bills to open more businesses but Cooper has continued to veto them all. Ultimately, it is up to Governor Cooper to strike a balance between public safety and economic welfare for the benefit of all North Carolinians.