Here’s what the latest mask rule change means for Charlotte, Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County’s mask mandate could end sooner than expected, after the county’s Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to lower the standard that has kept the COVID-19 rule in place since the end of August.
The new mask regulation, approved as a public health rule, says required indoor masking in public places can stop if the county’s COVID-19 positivity rate remains relatively low for seven days. The threshold is below 5%.
In August, the county put the mask requirement in place as the delta variant caused a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Then, the county said it would lift the mandate if the average rate of positive COVID-19 cases locally reached 5% and stayed low for a full month.
The change approved Wednesday amends the criteria for lifting the mask mandate but doesn’t necessarily mean the mask mandate will end soon. Throughout the pandemic, it has been uncommon for Mecklenburg County’s positivity rate to remain at or below 5% for more than a week.
The mandate requires people to wear masks in most indoor public settings, including at religious institutions.
COVID positivity rate tied to mask rule
As of Friday, the most recent data available, the county’s 7-day average positivity rate has fallen to about 7%, from 9% at the beginning of the October. In August, the positivity rate hit 14%.
Looking back through the pandemic, the mask mandate — under the newest rule — would have been removed only four times. This summer, before the delta variant drove cases skyward, the 7-day average rate remained below 5% for nearly two full months.
It also remained below below target from Sept. 13 to Sept. 30, 2020; Oct. 5 to Oct. 13, 2020; and from March 6 to March 13 of this year.
Mecklenburg County has seen case rates and coronavirus infections on a steady but slow decline since the local peak of the delta variant in late August. Still, predicting the virus’ trajectory has been notoriously difficult, and even though the standard to remove the mask mandate has been lowered, the new standard is not low in and of itself.
Unlike some emergency proclamations, the mask mandate has no fixed end date. It will be in effect until the positivity rate declines or officials rescind it.
Some commissioners said Wednesday that they’re listening to residents who disapprove of the mask mandate. Commissioner Elaine Powell said officials are listening to public health experts, and that the virus still poses a serious risk to county residents.
Gibbie Harris, the county’s public health director, said she approved of the changes made Wednesday.
“I hear the frustration, I read the emails,” said commissioner Leigh Altman. “I entreat the community to dig down deep and understand that we are following the metrics. This is about listening to the scientists and the data and doing our best to navigate through this.”
Along with the positivity rate, the number of COVID-19 cases has also been on a steady decline. The 7-day average of new daily cases dropped to less than 170 this week from 374 at the beginning of October. In August, it reached as high as 583.
Vaccination rates have slowly climbed as well. Health officials are urging people who qualify for booster shots to get them. The vaccines are free, and booster are available from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
About 61% of Mecklenburg County residents have had at least one shot, and 57% are fully vaccinated.
The health department also strongly recommends that children aged 5-11 get a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the usage of the Pfizer vaccine for younger children Wednesday after it was authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a CDC advisory committee.
The two doses for those 5 to 11 are at a lower dosage than for people 12 years and older, and the second dose is administered three weeks after the first.
The county maintains a list of locations where people can schedule their shots.
This story was originally published November 3, 2021 at 7:41 PM.
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