New guidance: Wear masks in stores to curb ‘significant community spread’ in Mecklenburg

After weeks of varying health guidance nationally, Mecklenburg County officials now say people should wear cloth face coverings when they go to grocery stores, pharmacies and other public places.

The guidance comes as state health officials note the rate of COVID-19 spread has likely slowed, and Charlotte hospitals Novant and Atrium say they may not need a 600-bed field hospital after all.

Still, health officials in Mecklenburg County say there is “significant community spread” of the coronavirus locally. And the guidance is in line with the latest from the CDC, which recommends people wear a mask in public places where social distancing is difficult or impossible to guarantee.

County Public Health Department guidance, published Wednesday, comes one day after Director Gibbie Harris told county commissioners that Mecklenburg was “not in a position” to provide sufficient masks to residents. Supply of N95 respirators and other personal protective equipment is needed by health care workers and other front-line responders.

There’s benefit for every resident to cover their face in public, though, Harris said.

“In case you are infectious and could be spreading it to other individuals,” she said Tuesday. Also Tuesday, Harris warned the Charlotte community may be backsliding on social or physical distancing — which health officials have said repeatedly is an effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“More people on the road, (up) from last week,” Harris said.

Masks in public should help reduce transmission of the virus but taking that step is no substitute for keeping at least 6 feet apart in public, the health director emphasized this week.

Officials in at least two other North Carolina counties have issued similar recommendations locally since the CDC updated its guidelines. Iredell County health officials recommended face coverings in public on April 9. And hospital system officials in Ashe County have issued similar advice.

Homemade masks can help

Harris said the public can use homemade masks — for example, “cotton fabric sewn together” or bandannas — to cover their nose and mouth.

“There is some evidence people without symptoms may be spreading the virus,” Mecklenburg’s advisory reads. “Droplets from breathing or speaking may spread COVID-19 from person to person. Therefore, the use of cloth face masks may help decrease transmission of the virus.”

The latest recommendation emphasizes that Mecklenburg County residents are still expected to comply with the local stay-at-home order. People should only venture outdoors for “essential” activities, such as exercising, buying groceries, or caring for friends and loved ones.

“Do not stop social distancing because you have a mask on,” Harris said in a video posted to Mecklenburg County’s Twitter page Wednesday.

‘Part of the solution’

George Dunlap, chairman of the Mecklenburg County commissioners, had implored Harris on Tuesday to make a “definitive recommendation” on cloth face masks. Harris said the “guidance on masks has been variable” and she did not take a definitive stance during Tuesday’s meeting. But the next day, Mecklenburg officially issued the face mask guidance.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended the use of cloth face coverings earlier this month, though, noting the practice was “especially” critical in “areas of significant community-based transmission.”

And the Charlotte Area Transit System had asked all bus and rail riders last week to begin wearing face coverings, as well as sit at least 6 feet apart.

Elaine Powell, vice chair of the Mecklenburg County commissioners, tweeted a photo of herself last week donning a patriotic mask.

“Please be part of the solution...” Powell said in the tweet. “My mom made this for me. We can flatten the curve, together!”

Harris warned that the county’s mask guidance “may change” depending on the trajectory of the local outbreak. More than 1,050 county residents have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday afternoon and there are 19 fatalities linked to COVID-19 so far in Mecklenburg.

County Commissioner Susan Harden said wearing masks is likely just a starting point for additional precautions, such as asking people to wear gloves in public, too.

“The public should anticipate new recommendations or additional recommendations in terms of personal gear and behavior to keep us safe as we think about loosening restrictions,” Harden said in an interview Thursday.

County guidelines

Local officials say that N95 and other surgical masks remain in “short supply and should be reserved for our medical providers and first responders.”

Cloth face masks should be washed in hot water after every use, Harris told county commissioners Tuesday. Masks must be completely dry before additional use to limit potential exposure to the coronavirus, Harris said.

Microwaves should not be used to sterilize masks, she said.

Young children under age 2 should not wear face coverings, and neither should individuals who have trouble breathing or may be unable to remove their masks “without assistance,” according to Mecklenburg’s recommendation.

”Avoid adjusting the mask by touching your face while the mask is on,” the recommendation reads. “Continue to practice frequent hand hygiene while wearing the mask.”

Officials said that when removing the mask, people should avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth — and wash their hands “immediately after.”

Residents can donate face masks and other personal protective equipment at several YMCA locations through CharMeckResponds.org.

This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 1:40 PM.