Durham Reporter

It seems North Carolina residents are following Gov. Roy Cooper's stay-at-home order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

The Monday order will last for at least 30 days, The Herald-Sun reported — building off of previous measures and adding new rules. Now, any gatherings of 10 or more people are prohibited and any businesses that would bring together large groups are subjected to close. 

Rob Dobyne, a nurse at a Duke-affiliated surgical center in Durham, said it appears people are listening to the stay-at-home order. He has not seen as much in-person shopping since the order started, Dobyne said to The Herald-Sun for its March 31 report. 

“Everybody’s worried,” Dobyne told The Herald-Sun. “You do what you can to protect yourself.”

Many parking lots also have fewer cars than there would be on a regular workday, even with essential businesses allowed to stay open. Businesses such as grocery stores, restaurants with take-out, drive-thru or delivery, health-care providers, pharmacies and several other businesses are considered essential, the governor's office said. 

However, what defines a business as essential can be inconsistent. 

A Raleigh-based Hobby Lobby was deemed essential because it sells craft supplies to students needed academic projects and school is essential, The Herald-Sun reported. The location allows 10 customers in at a time, but another craft store in Cary, Joann Fabrics, wasn't allowed to stay open, the Herald Sun reported. 

Joann Fabrics wasn't considered essential, even though it sells the same items to students, a clerk at the store said. The location isn't allowed to offer curbside pick-up, The Herald-Sun reported.  

Some North Carolina residents worry the governor's and lawmakers' efforts to slow COVID-19's spread are not taking the order seriously. 

Sarah Walker, an X-ray technician at a local hospital in Apex, said there was less traffic after the order went into effect, but she still worries. 

“I worry about people not taking it seriously enough,” she said to The Herald-Sun. “If people don’t stay home, then it’s not going to get any better.”

Not all government officials think the order is effective enough either. 

Some said it won't restrict movement enough to stop the spread of the coronavirus, The Herald-Sun reported. They believe a stricter order should be in place.