Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Raynard Washington said last week the county’s mask mandate could end soon. This comes as states and localities across the county are loosening restrictions due to a drop in COVID-19 cases.
The most recent mask mandate in Mecklenburg County was imposed in late August 2021. This came after the state’s mandate lapsed in July. WFAE reported at the time that Mecklenburg’s mandate would stay in effect until the county’s positivity rate falls below 5% for 30 days, in line with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That changed in November, when the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners voted to lower that threshold to seven days.
That, however, was all before the omicron variant caused new cases to spike. Since the omicron peak earlier this winter, the situation has improved. North Carolina reported more than 5,206 hospitalizations in late January. That has decreased steadily in the weeks since to the current mark of just over 3,000. The most recent data available by Mecklenburg County shows a seven-day positivity rate of 14.5% for the period from Feb. 8 through Feb. 14.
Federal health officials have warned it may be too soon to lift mask mandates in indoor public places. Meanwhile, the CDC guidance on masks and COVID-19 restrictions has been criticized as confusing.
Mike Collins is joined by a panel of guests to discuss the latest on masks in Mecklenburg County, what this means for future policy and how this decision reflects national trends.
Guests:
Dr. Raynard Washington, Mecklenburg County Public Health Director
Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times reporter focusing on science and global health
Claire Donnelly, WFAE health reporter