COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia City Council has extended the city's face mask ordinance for another two months as it seeks to curb the spread of the coronavirus. And the mayor promised new sanctions could be coming to people and businesses who repeatedly violate the order.
The council approved the measure during a meeting Tuesday afternoon held virtually due to the ongoing pandemic. The extension lasts for 61 days from approval, which means it will be in effect through the first few days of April.
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin said after it passed that he and the council are looking at some new type of penalty for repeat offenders, both individuals and businesses. He said the city's staff is hoping to finalize that language in the coming days and for the council to take action soon.
Several other jurisdictions have recently approved face mask ordinance extensions, including Cayce just last week.
South Carolina has seen an unprecedented number of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths from the coronavirus over the last few months. While the numbers have trended down over the last two weeks, they remain well above the levels seen at any time during the crisis before early December.
In November, the council also increased fines from $25 to $100 per individual. In addition, the council allowed for businesses to be fine per visit by the fire department. That means if an inspector sees employees without a mask on one day, and comes back the next and sees another violation, they could fine.
The mask mandate first went into effect back on June 26. Columbia was the second South Carolina city, following Charleston, to enact such a rule. The first mandate was extended in October.
Under the ordinance, every person over the age of ten is required to wear them in the following situations:
- Inside a building open to the public;
- Waiting to enter a building open to the public;
- Interacting with other people in outdoor spaces, including, but not limited to, curbside pickup, delivery, and service calls;
- When engaging in business activities in private spaces;
- Utilizing public or private transportation; or
- Walking in public where maintaining a distance of six (6) feet between other members of public at all times is not possible.
Face coverings are not required in the following circumstances:
- In personal vehicles;
- When a person is alone in enclosed spaces; during outdoor physical activity, provided the active person maintains a minimum of six (6) feet from other people at all times;
- When a person is alone or only with other household members;
- While drinking, eating or smoking;
- When wearing a face covering causes or aggravates a health condition.
