Fearing more coronavirus cases, Mecklenburg leaders push for face mask requirement

Mecklenburg leaders pushed for a mask mandate Tuesday as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to escalate in the county, and asked county health officials to return with an official recommendation by next week.

County commissioners say cloth face coverings are crucial in preventing COVID-19 outbreaks — and could be the deciding factor in avoiding another stay-at-home order.

“The message we’re sending is we’re inexorably moving toward reopening, no matter what the data says,” said County Commissioner Trevor Fuller, who introduced the latest mask request as his colleagues expressed their support for the effort.

“I feel like in the beginning in Mecklenburg, we were leading,” he said of the county’s messaging surrounding COVID-19 risks and health guidelines. “(Now), it feels like we’re just on the sidelines watching this happening.”

The Raleigh City Council made a similar step Tuesday toward possibly implementing a mask mandate. In Durham and Orange counties, residents already are required to wear face coverings in public settings where social distancing may be difficult.

While North Carolina doesn’t require residents to wear face coverings in public, they’re required in certain settings, like salons and personal care businesses, and are strongly recommended for others, along with frequent hand washing and social distancing.

Fuller said he was frustrated waiting on guidance from state and federal health officials, saying Mecklenburg had ceded its authority throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Pat Cotham was the only county commissioner who voted against moving forward with a recommendation for masks ahead of next Tuesday’s meeting.

A countywide mandate would require the support from the mayors of Charlotte and the six towns. Cotham reminded her colleagues that not all towns in Mecklenburg support the measure. County Manager Dena Diorio has repeatedly said enforcing mask wearing could also be problematic.

“At this point, requiring masks is up to the specific businesses and places that are requiring that,” Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris said.

Harris in April had issued guidance encouraging all residents to wear masks to slow the spread of the virus. At the time, she said the county’s mask guidance “may change,” depending on the trajectory of the local outbreak.

“It’s so simple to wear a mask, and it can prevent so many hardships in the future,” Elaine Powell, vice chair of the county commissioners, said Tuesday. “It’s hard to wrap my head around why people aren’t wearing masks.”

Turning back

Crucial COVID-19 metrics — including daily case totals, hospitalizations and positive test rates — continue to rise in Mecklenburg, reflecting the impact of Gov. Roy Cooper’s phased approach to reopening businesses and loosening restrictions.

But social distancing, based on mobility data, has plummeted close to levels previously seen in March before Meckenburg’s stay-at-home order took effect.

There were 7,336 confirmed coronavirus cases and 134 deaths among county residents as of Tuesday evening, Harris said. Two children have been diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a rare condition caused by COVID-19.

Harris told reporters on Friday she would be surprised if the county moves into North Carolina’s Phase Three of reopening by June 26, based on the trajectory of COVID-19 trends. That phase would loosen restrictions on mass gatherings and increase capacity at places like restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and houses of worship.

Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell said residents need to realize the consequences of not following social distancing guidelines. The county may need to return to an earlier stage of reopening, potentially under a new stay-at-home order, she warned.

“If you don’t want to turn back, you need to turn on wearing masks,” Rodriguez-McDowell said. “Somehow, people are not getting the correct message.”

Atrium Health and Novant Health are currently operating at around 75% capacity, Harris said. She emphasized the county’s acute care facilities are responsible for treating coronavirus patients in multiple North and South Carolina counties, not just in Mecklenburg.

“There is a line that if we cross that, we’ve got to worry about what we have the capacity to do. I don’t think there’s an unlimited number of cases we can take care of in this community,” Harris told Commissioner Susan Harden, who asked for a specific threshold of cases that could trigger more coronavirus restrictions.

The county could see a surge in cases by August and September, Harris has warned. And that’s when the health director is most concerned about local hospitals’ ability to handle the pandemic, on top of flu season.

“It’s going to be critical for us to be able to manage this into the fall,” Harris said.

This story was originally published June 16, 2020 at 11:01 PM.