Charlotte mask mandate returns. Here’s what comes next for the rest of Mecklenburg
New coronavirus mask mandates will return to the Charlotte area, due to rising concerns over COVID-19 breakthrough infections among fully vaccinated people and the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.
Some changes will come as soon as mid-week for the city of Charlotte.
The county Health Department recommended issuing another countywide mask mandate on Monday, strengthening what had previously been an urgent plea since late July for residents to resume wearing face coverings.
During a special meeting Wednesday afternoon, Mecklenburg County commissioners approved making the department recommendation into a formal “public health rule.”
It would still take 10 days to go into effect, County Manager Dena Diorio said. The mandate would be for indoor public spaces.
In the meantime, Mecklenburg County and the city of Charlotte will institute mask mandates in the city and unincorporated areas of the county, Diorio said. That interim mask mandate will go into effect Wednesday, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said in a statement.
Other towns in Mecklenburg can decide to take similar actions in the interim before the countywide mask mandate is approved, Diorio said.
Commissioners on Wednesday will also deliberate on potential fines for people who violate the mask order, which is still being drafted. Voluntary compliance, though, will be crucial, Diorio said.
This mask mandate should align with previous orders, Diorio said. Gov. Roy Cooper’s mask mandate, for example, included exemptions for children under age 5 and people with behavioral health problems or disabilities.
‘COVID is here to stay’
Diorio said she and a group of top policymakers who met Monday did not review other coronavirus measures, such as a vaccine mandate for entry into venues, restaurants or events. Cities like New York City and New Orleans have already implemented those policies.
“Right now, the push is to see if we can’t manage this pandemic through a mask mandate,” Diorio said. “If that doesn’t work, then we’ll go back and we’ll see what else, or what other options are available.”
Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris warned that more restrictions, including those tied to social distancing, could make a comeback if coronavirus trends do not improve.
“We know COVID is here to stay,” Harris said. “We have got to manage it. And vaccines and masks are going to help us manage this as we move into the winter.”
Harris said both Atrium Health and Novant Health support the mask mandate and did not recommend more stringent restrictions.
It’s not clear how long Mecklenburg residents will be required to wear mask indoors. Harris did not outline a specific threshold that would allow officials to loosen public health rules.
The mask mandate would only apply to indoor settings, meaning large outdoors events will not require people to wear face coverings for now, Harris said.
Breakthrough infections
Harris also called the mask mandate an attempt to control rising COVID-19 cases in the county.
“We’re concerned about our kids in school and our hospitals being overwhelmed,” she said. “So far we haven’t seen those things, school hasn’t started yet, so we’re trying to get things better under control.”
Masks are especially important as children return to school, Harris said. Most school-aged children can’t get the COVID-19 vaccines, she said. And many who are eligible have not yet been vaccinated.
The county’s recommendations also come as Mecklenburg’s COVID-19 trends have continued to move in the wrong direction for weeks.
On average, Mecklenburg is seeing 576 new cases each day, an 86% increase over the last 14 days, according to an Observer analysis of county data released Friday.
Diorio said the number of breakthrough infections, as well as new data showing that fully vaccinated people can still spread COVID-19, also prompted the renewed mask order.
Mecklenburg health officials say they are aware of just 412 breakthrough infections so far among fully vaccinated residents. The data span March 22 through Aug. 11, when more than 24,000 cases were logged in Mecklenburg.
The true tally of breakthrough infections could be far higher. Harris on Monday acknowledged the county health department is still having trouble accessing information from the state Department of Health and Human Services.
CDC mask guidance
The mask announcement comes nearly three weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that even fully vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in public.
That’s because research shows fully vaccinated people can still transmit the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19, a variant that makes up the majority of coronavirus cases in the U.S..
The CDC recommendation applies to any area experiencing high or substantial spread of COVID-19. That now includes every county in North Carolina, according to the CDC’s COVID-19 data tracker.
Since the CDC updated its guidance on July 27, Mecklenburg has seen more than 9,000 new coronavirus cases, according to state data. Average hospitalizations for COVID-19 more than doubled over that period, an Observer analysis of county health data finds.
Last month, Cooper stopped short of issuing a renewed statewide mask mandate, despite the rising number of COVID-19 cases across the state. And in late July, Harris said she had no immediate plans to implement a local mask requirement.
Lyles last week said she was waiting on a mask recommendation from Harris before taking action and deliberating with other Mecklenburg mayors. In her statement Monday, the mayor said, ”We need more people in our community to get vaccinated, which is the best way for us to get back to normal for the long-term.” She also asked people to wear masks.
Private policy meeting
Mecklenburg’s news conference Monday followed a private meeting of Diorio’s “Policy Group,” which includes top officials from Charlotte, Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Pineville, Matthews and Mint Hill.
Sheriff Garry McFadden, EMS Director Joe Penner and Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson — or their designees — sit on the group, as well, as do Atrium, Novant, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Mecklenburg County courts officials.
A coalition of local news outlets, including The Charlotte Observer, wrote Diorio Friday to urge her to make the policy group’s meeting about the delta variant public. “The Policy Group is indisputably a public body, and its important policymaking function during this public health crisis should not be carried out behind closed doors, “ the letter stated.
County officials did not respond to the letter. Diorio defended keeping the meeting closed, saying during the news conference she believes the policy group is not required by law to hold open meetings.
“I think we’ve done an outstanding job representing the community and making sound decisions that are of best interest to the community,” Diorio said.
The policy group will meet again in two weeks, she said.
Mecklenburg COVID trends
Most COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are among unvaccinated people, local health leaders say.
Mecklenburg’s daily coronavirus caseload exceeded 600 over three consecutive days last week, according to N.C. DHHS. And the average number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 hit 260 in the past week, a 105% increase over the last 14 days.
People who are fully vaccinated could be spreading the virus to unprotected people without knowing they’re infected, Harris said.
Harris said wearing a mask is one of the most important things — behind getting vaccinated — that people can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Obviously we believe it will work, or we wouldn’t be implementing this,” she said. “The hope is that with a little bit of extra push, people will get the message and pay attention and start doing the right thing. Most people already are.”
Third dose of vaccines
Meanwhile, Mecklenburg is far from achieving herd immunity. Nearly half of county residents are still unvaccinated.
As of Monday, Mecklenburg County is offering third doses of COVID-19 shots (for either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine) for immunocompromised people.
On Friday, the CDC announced it was recommending a third dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for people with those conditions, including primary immunodeficiency, advanced or untreated HIV infection, active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids, and more. A full list is available online.
There will be no medical documentation required for the third dose, Harris said.
This story was originally published August 16, 2021 at 2:35 PM.
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