The Mayor of Raleigh has just issued an emergency proclamation to require residents and visitors to wear face masks while in city limits.
The new requirements will go into effect on Friday, June 19th starting at 4pm.
The Mayor’s official proclamation reads:
“All persons who are present within the jurisdiction of the City of Raleigh are required to wear a clean face covering any time they are, or will be, in contact with other people who are not household members in public or private spaces where it is not possible to maintain social distance or where recommended social distancing practices are not being followed. These spaces include grocery stores, pharmacies, business locations, parking lots, sidewalks, and public transit. While wearing the face covering, it is essential to still maintain social distance insofar as possible since social distancing is the best defense against the spread of the COVID-19.
A face covering is a material that covers the nose and mouth. It can be secured to the head with ties or straps or simply wrapped around the lower face. It can be made of a variety of materials, such as cotton, silk, or linen. A cloth face covering may be factory-made or sewn by hand or can be improvised from household items such as scarfs, T-shirts, sweatshirts, or towels. Social distance, as referenced within this declaration, shall mean the current parameters established by the Governor by Executive Order and by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, including as such parameters may be amended in the future.
Acceptable, reusable face covering options for the general public include: bandanas, neck gaiters, homemade face coverings, scarves, or tightly woven fabric such as cotton !-shirts and some types of towels. It is not required to wear face coverings during individual exercise outdoors, or while walking or exercising with other people from the same household, as long as social distance from others is maintained.
All restaurant, personal care, grooming, tattoo, and retail employees and staff shall wear a face covering while on duty. It is recommended that all businesses require customers to wear a face covering while inside the business Face coverings are not required:
- For people whose religious beliefs prevent them from wearing a face covering.
- For those who cannot wear a face covering due to a medical or behavioral condition.
- For children under 12 years old.
- For restaurant patrons while they are dining.
- In private, individual offices.
- When complying with directions of law enforcement officers.
- In settings where it is not practical or feasible to wear a face covering, including when obtaining or rendering goods or services, such as the receipt of dental services or while swimming.
- While with members of a family or the same household.”
When the new requirement takes effect, Raleigh will be joining North Carolina’s City of Durham and Orange County currently with similar requirements.
Starting this weekend, Boone, NC will also implement a similar measure:
Earlier this week on Tuesday, Mecklenburg’s County Commissioner County Commissioner Trevor Fuller pushed for a similar requirement in Charlotte, but he would have to gain the support of the mayors of Charlotte and the 6 other towns in our county for the measure to pass.
In response to all the new requirements, a large group called “Reopen NC” started a “Burn Your Mask” challenge on social media.
What do you think about face mask requirements?