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Outer Banks visitor restrictions lifted in a bid to help small businesses

Currituck County Commissioner Owen Etheridge said 'a physical death is a devastating thing to a family, but economic death can be just as devastating.'

CURRITUCK COUNTY, N.C. — Visitors will be allowed back into the Currituck County Outer Banks Thursday morning, but only if they’re a property owner.

The Currituck County Board of Commissioners voted to ease restrictions, Monday night.

Commissioner Owen Etheridge said the restrictions were hurting the economy.

“A physical death is a devastating thing to a family but economic death can be just as devastating,” Etheridge said. "Our small business people are hurting and they’re the backbone of our economy."

Currituck was closed to non-residents in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. Etheridge said it worked and as of Tuesday, they don’t have any active cases.

He said commissioners kept that in mind when they voted Monday night. But most of all, they don’t want the economy to suffer.

“If we erred as a board of commissioners in opening too soon, then I’ll take responsibility and admit that I was wrong in making the vote that I did,” Etheridge said.

He pointed to local farmer’s markets as examples of small businesses that are taking a hit.

“They’re being hurt," Etheridge said. "I’m sure they’re not doing the volume of business that they’re used to doing.”

Moyock Farm Market co-owner Jamie Pittman said locals have been supporting them during the COVID-19 pandemic. And although she agrees this re-opening will help the economy, she’s concerned about the spread of the virus.

“I feel like it will help the economy to have the tourists back but I am a little concerned about the health of our locals," Pittman said. "We’ve been very fortunate in our area. I think we’ve had two or three confirmed cases here in our county so to bring people from outside of that, back in is a little scary.”

Tourists who don’t own property will be allowed back to Corolla starting on May 15.

Non-resident property owners who want to visit Thursday will need a non-resident Currituck entry permit from the county.

Commissioners are encouraging people to bring two weeks of food and supplies because grocery stores may not be fully stocked.

Etheridge is also advising people to adhere to social distancing guild lines and limit groups of more than 10 people.

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