COLUMBIA, S.C. — As coronavirus cases spike in states across the country, the City of Columbia is looking for ways to stay ahead of the curve.
“Everything is on the table," city councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine said. "If we see the spikes that other areas in this country are seeing, then no regulation, nothing that is within our legal purview to do will be off the table for us to consider.”
The city's mask ordinance is one of their biggest defenses against the virus, according to Issac Devine. That's why, in a meeting on November 10, she anticipates council will extend it.
"We are also going to consider looking at enhancing the penalties regarding the mask ordinance so that people know how serious this is for us and our community," councilwoman Isaac Devine said.
This comes as images of large gatherings at apartment complexes and nightlife venues with little social distancing and mask wearing continue to surface.
“It definitely is a concern of ours and we continue to monitor the gatherings and our fire department, where necessary, they shut those gatherings down," councilwoman Isaac Devine said. "We understand that people have COVID fatigue and people are tired of staying home and they're tried of not being able to gather and have fun with their friends, but we need to recognize that we're in the middle of a pandemic and these measures save lives."
She says the city is also working with area businesses to try to find creative ways to implement safety measures while still allowing the businesses to operate productively.