‘Parks were packed.’ Charlotte crowds collide with stay-at-home order, health director warns

Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris slammed the lack of social distancing in Charlotte’s parks this weekend, as county officials announced the first local death from COVID-19 likely arose from “community spread” of the disease.

Greater restrictions may be needed to enforce distance rules in outdoor spaces, Harris said Sunday during a news conference. Few details were released about the person who died. Harris said the number of cases and deaths can be reduced if residents follow stay-at-home orders and stay six feet or more away from other people.

“Yesterday, our parks were packed with people. Social distancing was not even an option,” Harris said at Sunday’s press conference. “These are presenting situations where we will see individuals exposed in ways that are against our stay-at-home order.”

Under Mecklenburg’s stay-at-home order, residents are “allowed to go out and exercise, but we have emphasized that people need to be six feet apart. Social-distancing is critical in this situation, and the parks — there were way more people than — you couldn’t social-distance even if you wanted to,” Harris said.

A sunny Saturday with temperatures in the 80s led Charlotte residents to flock to parks. Sunday’s warm weather appeared to have drawn crowds, too.

“We recognize the fact that the weather is incredible and that everyone wants to be outside,” Harris said. “There are still a lot of people who are not taking it seriously. We need everyone, everyone to be part of the solution.”

For instance, playgrounds and some other park amenities are closed while open spaces and trails remain open.

County Manager Dena Diorio said Sunday: “We are in the process of obtaining signs to put out by the playgrounds, but we also have park rangers who have been deployed to all of our parks and are dispersing crowds that are using our playgrounds.”

Cases of the disease caused by the coronavirus in the county rose above 330 late Sunday, according to state data. Statewide, the number of cases jumped to more than 1,130 cases. Two-thirds of the state’s 100 counties have at least one confirmed case.

NC stay-home order starts Monday

Gov. Roy Cooper announced a statewide stay-at-home order Friday, which takes effect at 5 p.m. Monday. The order mandates social distancing and bans all non-essential travel.

Businesses deemed “essential”, including pharmacies and grocery stores, will remain open, but many others will close. Gatherings of more than 10 are prohibited.

In cases where the statewide stay-at-home order overlaps with a local one, like in Mecklenburg, the most restrictive one applies, Cooper said. His order lasts until April 29.

This story was originally published March 29, 2020 at 1:58 PM.