Durham’s “Stay At Home” Order Goes Live Thursday 3/26/20 at 6:00 pm

Durham is under a STAY AT HOME ORDER, beginning tomorrow, Thursday, 3/26/20.

Full details on the order can be viewed HERE.

For those of you who are looking for a Cliff’s Notes version, here’s the :::drumroll::: “Durham Stay At Home Rules: The Tiffy Summary!”

When does it start? Thursday, 3/26/20, at 6:00 pm.

When does it end? Thursday, 4/30/20.

What does this mean for exercise/physical and social activity?

Can I play basketball? NO. You can’t keep a social distance of 6 feet or more at all times.

Can I play team sports? NO. Again, you can’t keep a social distance of 6 feet or more at all times.

Can I walk/hike/run/bike/golf/tennis, as long as you maintain a 6 feet distance at all times? YES.

Can I get together with friends? Yes. If you remain in a group of no more than 10 people and can maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet, but preferably more, between all of you. AHEM, TO SOME FOLKS I KNOW WHO ARE STILL CRAMMING INTO A FRIEND’S DEN FOR MOVIES AND CONVERSATION. Luv y’all! Let’s get creative in finding safe ways to make this time more enjoyable.

What does this mean for daily tasks?

Can I care for a sick loved one, and/or pick up medication? YES.

Can I go to a doctor’s appointment? YES.

Can I buy groceries? YES, but please don’t bring the whole family with you. We don’t need that many folks in the stores.

Can I get gas? Yes.

Can I go to the bank? Yes, but please don’t go unless it’s urgent. Only certain priority banking services will be available.

Will I get mail delivery? Yes.

Can I grab grub from my favorite restaurant? Yes, but only delivery, curbside, and take-out.

Will my trash/recycling be picked up? Yes.

If my car breaks down, can I go to the auto shop? Yes. Auto repair is an essential activity as dictated by the order.

If my water heater konks out, can I call a plumber to fix it? Yes, essential construction activities are allowed under the order. But, understand that many construction-related firms may elect to close, given concerns surrounding Covid-19.

If my tooth hurts, can I go to the dentist? Yes, this is allowed under the order, but again, many dentist offices will elect to close due to health concerns.

Can my lawn-guy cut my lawn? Yes. This is listed under essential businesses. We can’t have our yards looking raggedy!

For my REALTOR friends: Can I show property to my buyer? NO! Real estate brokerage is not an exempt category, under the order. No showing property. No open houses.

For my prayer warriors: Can I go to church? Not to a physical location, because the number of participants will be more than 10, BUT online and telephone services are an option. Be sure to call and check on your church-friends, to be sure they are ok. And now is a great time to tune in online to your home-church service, and others. We’ll need the additional inspiration in the weeks to come.

For my civic-minded friends: Offer to help your older/ill/shut-in neighbors by grabbing groceries for them, or handling other tasks that will allow them to stay at home. Remember to keep a 6ft distance while you’re helping, so that you don’t unknowingly make them ill.

***If anyone is interested in organizing a list of folks needing grocery delivery, I’m happy to help pull the troops together for this.***

What can you do today? Spread the word! The closer we follow these guidelines, and get everyone in Durham on board, the sooner we can get back to our new normal.