• By Todd Luck
• Posted Friday, March 27, 2020

What you need to know about the Stay at Home Order

Forsyth County has issued a Stay at Home Order that goes into effect at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 27, for unincorporated areas of the county and Kernersville, Tobaccoville, Bethania and Walkertown. The order expires at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, April 16, but it may be revised as the situation warrants.

The order says residents should stay at home unless leaving for essential activities or to work at an essential business or government service. Essential businesses are encouraged to stay open while practicing social distancing. This order is being done to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in our community.

Residents are still allowed to do essential activities like grocery shopping, picking up take-out food, getting gas, going to the bank, taking care of others, working at essential businesses, and outdoor activities like walking their dog, jogging and bike riding.

Travel should be restricted for essential activities, but NO permit or papers are needed to travel in the county.

Essential businesses will remain open including grocery stores, restaurants with take-out, gas stations, financial institutions, hardware and supply stores, media, mail and delivery service, laundry service, transportation and stores that sell supplies needed to work from home.

This order closes non-essential businesses, though it does allow for employees of those businesses to work at home. Those businesses can still conduct minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of the businesses’ inventory, preserve the condition of the business’s building, grounds and equipment, ensure security and to process payroll and employee benefits.

It also closes places of public amusement including bowling alleys, concert and music halls, arcades, children’s play centers and playgrounds. Parks will remain open.

Local law enforcement officials will enforce the order through education, dialogue, and seeking voluntary cooperation with all residents and businesses. If officials encounter violations of the order, they will request changes be made for individuals to become compliant. If voluntary cooperation is not achieved, they are authorized to enforce these restrictions through citations.

All Forsyth County Government departments will continue to operate with numerous changes that were made for social distancing that can be found at https://forsyth.cc/citizenservices.aspx. Traveling to a county office for services is allowed under the order, but please check to see if that office is still open to the public and do not come if you’re sick.

Everyone doing essential activities and essential work should practice social distancing. They should stay at least six feet from other people and frequently clean their hands and sanitize frequently touched surfaces.

The County Stay-at-Home Order adopts the City of Winston-Salem’s Stay-at-Home Order and contains the same restrictions. If you live in the Village of Clemmons, you are subject to its Shelter in Place Order

For more information, visit the county’s Stay at Home Order FAQ.