Local News

Mask mandate begins today for people over age 2 in Orange County, Chapel Hill

A mask mandate begins in Orange County and Chapel Hill on Wednesday at 5 p.m. just one day after Durham's mandate went into effect.

Posted Updated

By
Kasey Cunningham
and
Lora Lavigne, WRAL reporters
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — A mask mandate begins in Orange County and Chapel Hill on Wednesday at 5 p.m. just one day after Durham's mandate went into effect.

Everyone will be required to wear masks in public, indoor spaces, excluding:

  • Anyone with a diagnosed medical or behavioral condition or disability, including difficulty breathing
  • Children under two years of age
  • Children under five (5) years of age if their parent or guardian has been unable to place and maintain a face covering safely on the child’s face
  • Anyone who is actively eating or drinking
  • Anyone who is seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing impaired in a way that requires the mouth to be visible
  • Anyone who is giving a speech or performance for a broadcast where they maintain a distance of at least 20 feet from the audience
  • Anyone who is working alone in an individual office setting (face coverings should be worn in common areas such as breakrooms, hallways, restrooms, etc.)
  • Anyone who has determined the face covering is impeding their visibility in the operation of equipment or a vehicle

"This step is essential if we hope to slow the spread of the Delta variant," Renee Price, Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, said when the announcement was made.

North Carolina's state mask mandate expired on July 30, as WRAL previously reported. In the meantime, some of North Carolina's most-vaccinated counties are instituting their own rules.

In Wake County, masks are required in county buildings, such as libraries, courthouses and EMS facilities, but masks are not currently required in all indoor public spaces. Matt Calabria, chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, told WRAL News, “Our public health officials are analyzing the latest information available to them and will likely make recommendations to me soon.”

Even with one of the highest rates of vaccination in the state with 76 percent of the population fully vaccinated, Orange County now has the fifth-highest hospitalization rate in the state. The vast majority of people hospitalized are unvaccinated.

"While we ask all residents to take this precaution, more importantly, if you know individuals who have been reluctant to get the vaccine, please take them to a vaccination site to get their shot and protect yourself and your family members, friends and neighbors," Price added.

Other mask mandates include Guilford County, where a mandate begins Friday, and in Boone, where a mandate is already in place.

 Credits 

Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.