Commissioners Vote To End Indoor Mask Mandate In Mecklenburg County

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, NC. — After about two years of mask mandates in Mecklenburg County, County Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington recommended to end it. He says covid case counts and percent positivity are becoming less reliable, and the county should focus on wastewater monitoring and syndromic surveillance of emergency room visits for covid-like illness. Many spoke during public comment in the county commission meeting—most of them in favor of getting rid of the mask mandate.

“Paper and cloth masks are doing nothing but giving people a false sense of security, and we all know that on some level because we wouldn’t be going to crowded restaurants and sporting events otherwise,” one speaker says.

WCCB reached out to dozens of local businesses. Most telling WCCB, when the mandate ends, they will not require masks and will leave the decision up to the customer to do whatever they feel comfortable with. Matt Wohlfarth is the owner of Dilworth Neighborhood Grille. He stopped requiring staff and patrons to wear masks back in May. He says the mandate hasn’t really been enforced.

“You’ve got to use your head. If you’re gonna walk through the door with your mask on and sit down at a chair and then take it off, and there’s someone right there, does that make any sense?” says Wohlfarth.

Wohlfarth says the county ending the mask mandate is good for business.

“So that will help a bunch, and you can already see traffic is starting to get back to the way it used to be.”

Several big retail chains tell WCCB they follow local mandates. Target requires face coverings employees but will follow all local mandates and continue to monitor guidance from the CDC closely. Walmart and Sam’s club also follow local and state mandates and say fully vaccinated employees will not have to wear a mask.