Mecklenburg County Approves Countywide Mask Mandate To Take Effect On Aug. 28

The Latest (8/18/21):

Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris says 50 percent of the county’s population is vaccinated. The mask mandate is in effect because of the percent positives, hospitalizations and cases continuing to head in the wrong direction.

After much back and forth, county commissioners voted 6 to 2 to implement a countywide mask mandate.

The countywide “Public Health Rule” requires people to wear a mask when indoors in all businesses, establishments and public places regardless of your vaccination status. This applies to all individuals who are at least five years old.

It goes into effect starting August 28th.

Original Story (8/16/21):

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Wednesday, an indoor mask mandate will go into effect in Charlotte, with all of Mecklenburg County likely soon to follow.

Health leaders say it comes after a “steep, alarming rise” in COVID cases.

“From a public health perspective, it’s the right thing to do,” explains Mecklenburg Co. Health Director Gibbie Harris.

Harris says COVID cases have risen 87 percent in the past two weeks, with 13 deaths, and younger people testing positive.

There are also concerns about “breakthrough cases” among the fully vaccinated.

“In some cases, those people are asymptomatic completely, don’t know that they’re spreading the virus, and the only way that they can help protect other people is to wear that mask,” Harris says.

County leaders plan to take new steps to get the six other towns in Mecklenburg County to go along with the mandate.

The health department will ask County Commissioners to adopt a public health rule declaring an “imminent hazard,” forcing towns like Huntersville to go along with the mandate in 10 days.

“If it’s this much of an imminent hazard, then why isn’t the Governor weighing in?” asks Huntersville Mayor John Aneralla.

Aneralla says he’s not sure the county has the authority to force the cities to go along.

“I’m not quite sure why it’s more of a hazard this year, than it was last year when we didn’t have that herd immunity as well as the vaccinations,” he says.

“This is a tact we’re taking this time around because we want to make sure we get countywide coverage for the mask mandate,” said Mecklenburg Co. Manager Dena Diorio, during a news conference on Monday.