Gatherings in the town of Elon will remain capped at 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, despite Gov. Roy Cooper’s recent executive order lifting some coronavirus restrictions.
The town of Elon declared a state of emergency Sept. 3. after Cooper announced on Tuesday that the state would be moving into Phase 2.5 of coronavirus reopening, which would increase mass gathering limits to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
The emergency order goes into effect this Friday at 5 p.m., the same time the governor’s order will go into effect.
According to Town Manager Richard Roedner, the emergency order limiting social gatherings was important to keep cases of the coronavirus low at Elon University.
“We have talked to the school about the recommendation,” Roedner said at a Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday. “Sticking with that is something we should undertake to keep everybody healthy.”
In an email to students, Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley wrote that mass gathering limits help control the spread of the coronavirus at social gatherings, which he said is a significant way the virus is spread amongst college students.
“The limits on mass gatherings have helped us control a common source of transmission among college students – parties and large social gatherings,” Dooley wrote. “Our continued commitment to mask-wearing, physical distancing and adherence with mass gathering limitations will be among the important steps we can take to ensure that in-person learning continues this semester.”
The emergency order does not have an end date and will remain in place until it is modified or rescinded.