COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia City Council has voted to extend the city's ordinance requiring face masks for another two months.
The council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday in favor of keeping the rules which requires face coverings in most public settings. This means that the ordinance, which was orginally set to expire in late August, will now be in effect through early October.
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.
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.
The measure allows for fines to individuals of $25, but police are allowed to give a warning first. Businesses that don't require employees to wear the mask could face a $100 fine.
And on Monday, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster's executive order requiring masks at restaurants and large venues, including movie theaters, concert sites, and stadiums, also went into effect. Starting Wednesay, masks will be required at state government offices
South Carolina reported 1,168 new cases and 52 confirmed deaths Tuesday. In Richland County, there were 113 new cases.
