The N.C. Education Lottery’s Charlotte regional office and claims center will be closed temporarily after lottery employees there reported symptoms of possible COVID-19.

The closing occurred Friday morning after two employees working in the Charlotte office reported their symptoms. No COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, but the lottery closed the office on a temporary basis due to staffing.

The office was open for 90 minutes, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. As a precaution, the lottery is notifying all those who presented claims during that time and encouraging anyone else who visited Friday morning to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.

All lottery employees working with the public wear masks and gloves at all times while at work. Claim centers employees are separated from visitors by a glass window, talk with visitors through a microphone, and accept and return tickets and claim forms through a small opening at the base on the window. Those safety steps are taken to ensure the safety of the public and lottery employees.

All claim centers are cleaned thoroughly daily and undergo cleaning throughout the day while the center is open to the public, following state and CDC guidelines for cleaning. The lottery also limits the number of visitors who can be inside a claim center at the same time to allow for appropriate social distancing and requires visitors to wear a mask or facial covering.

The Charlotte office will undergo additional cleaning over the weekend. The office will remain closed until staffing can resume at normal levels.

In the meantime, the closest claim centers for the Charlotte area would be in Asheville or Greensboro. For assistance, please call Customer Services at (866) 934-0289 or visit the lottery’s website for information on how to claim by mail at https://nclottery.com/ClaimPrizes.