As COVID cases rise, Mecklenburg restaurants, venues remain wary of any new mask rules
With Mecklenburg County back in an increased “code red” category for risk of spreading COVID as the cases and hospitalizations climb, restaurants and event venues remain wary of enforcing masks — again.
Mask mandates and other COVID safety protocols have been politically contentious issues since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said people in Mecklenburg County are at high COVID risk. Nearby counties Rowan, Cabarrus, Iredell, Lincoln and Gaston also are in that red zone.
The BA.5 omicron variant, one of the most highly transmissible variants, is blamed for most new infections in the county and across the country as hospitalizations also steadily rise.
More than a dozen businesses that The Charlotte Observer reached out to for this story did not want to comment about the mask mandate issue or did not respond for comment by Monday.
A handful of others told the Observer they won’t bring back mask requirements unless government officials mandate them, and few said they plan to make workers to wear them.
“If something comes down from the government — federal, state or local — then we will certainly abide by that,” Neighborhood Theatre operator Greg McCraw said.
Likewise, Coyote Joe’s country venue in west Charlotte also is monitoring the situation, but not planning any immediate changes. “Whatever the health department recommends we’ll do,” Coyote Joe’s owner Allan Presley said.
Mask-free but cases rising
It’s been five months since Mecklenburg County ended its last mask mandate. That mandate was put in place on Aug. 28 of last year as COVID cases spiked due to the delta variant. And enforcement fell mostly on businesses.
As cases rises again, the CDC and county officials are recommending safety protocols people have grown familiar with from the start of the pandemic over two years ago, including wearing a mask indoors in public.
But no county mandates are planned for now.
“At this time, no, we’re not considering any mandates of any sort in terms of mask-wearing,” Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington told reporters Monday.
About 69% of Charlotte residents said they now plan to wear masks indoors again in public spaces, according to a recent unscientific online poll by The Charlotte Observer.
The majority of survey respondents also said they are somewhat or extremely concerned about the latest COVID variant (76%) and planned to get vaccinated or boosted (60%).
‘Keep everyone healthy and working’
Some Charlotte businesses have continued to urge customers to wear masks.
In June, for instance, the Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find comic book store was hosting the return of its big HeroesCon convention after a two-year COVID absence. To keep its small staff healthy and safe in the run-up to the convention, it required staff to wear masks and urged customers to do the same.
“With many customers visiting our store each day from out of town, we want to ensure that everyone stays well,” the comic book store said on social media. “...We know that wearing masks can be hot and uncomfortable, especially in the summer, but we appreciate your help in our efforts to keep everyone healthy and working.”
On Friday, a store employee said Heroes does not have any mask mandates and follows county and city guidelines.
Here’s what other local businesses and venues said about masking:
Dilworth Neighborhood Grill
At Dilworth Neighborhood Grill, owner Matt Wohlfarth said he believes most of his customers would go elsewhere if the restaurant required masks again now. However, he said others may want to see servers wearing masks.
“We are in no way looking to restrict anybody at any time,” he said.
Wohlfarth noted that the grill has a tent for outside dining and is large enough to accommodate seating for social distancing.
He said business has dropped off because of inflation and summer vacations. Plus, Wohlfarth said COVID concerns could be another variable.
“Every single thing about COVID is just harder because most people think it’s gone,” he said. “Yet the problems are still here.”
Wohlfarth also is still having challenges with food shortages and costs as well as worker shortages. “It’s just as hard finding people to work now as it was before,” he said.
Neighborhood Theatre
At Neighborhood Theatre in NoDa, McCraw isn’t planning any policy changes yet.
But it helps that his entire staff is vaccinated against the virus, he said. Many also wear masks, though it’s not a requirement.
The Neighborhood Theatre doesn’t require masks for audience members, either. However, McCraw said he’s noticed an uptick in the number of show-goers voluntarily donning face coverings.
But overall, he said, “there doesn’t seem to be as much concern” among customers as in earlier parts of the pandemic.
During the initial delta and omicron waves in the fall and winter, the theater saw a greater number of no-shows, he said. The number of audience members that didn’t show up for concerts they bought tickets to nearly quadrupled as cases peaked.
“I have not seen that start to happen again,” McCraw said. “What that tells me is that public confidence is still pretty high.”
Blumenthal Performing Arts
One of the largest players in Charlotte’s live performance scene, Blumenthal Performing Arts, will also wait for public health officials to change guidelines.
“Blumenthal Performing Arts closely follows directives from local and state officials,” president Tom Gabbard said in a statement to the Observer. “We will adjust promptly should there be changes in those directives.”
Right now the organization, which houses Belk Theater, Booth Playhouse and Stage Door Theater, is encouraging but not requiring masks at performances.
Backstage workers and artists use COVID protocols established by their union agreements and each show, Gabbard said.
He added that ticket sales for most events have been strong and “largely similar to past shows” since the organization reopened to major events in the fall.
Reporter Blake Douglas contributed to this report.
This story was originally published August 2, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
