OCRACOKE, N.C. (WAVY) — Hyde County in North Carolina issued an emergency declaration March 18 preventing visitors from traveling on Ocracoke-bound ferries.
The Hyde County Board of Commissioners voted March 18 to issue an emergency declaration limiting Ocracoke ferry travelers to only residents, property owners, workers, vendors and service providers.
Days later, on Monday, March 23, the Board of Commissioners amended the order to further restrict who can go to the island.
Starting Monday, non-resident property owners can only enter Ocracoke is they’re actively working on critical repairs on their homes or businesses.
Moving forward, workers and non-resident property owners will need to submit an application online to obtain a temporary permit to access the island.
The limitation is in response to the spread of coronavirus, or COVID-19.
The limit started at 5 a.m. March 19 and is in place until further notice.
Law enforcement will be posted at ferry terminals to check passenger identification and enforce the restriction.
For more information, visit the Hyde County website.