As SC becomes COVID-19 hotspot, McMaster still won’t issue statewide mask mandate
As South Carolina gains a reputation for having one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster held his ground Friday on his stance against a statewide mask requirement.
After announcing that he would be requiring restaurants to stop serving alcohol after 11 p.m., McMaster reiterated that he believed that it would be impossible to enforce a statewide mask mandate.
“This is an order that a state can enforce,” McMaster said, referring to the new alcohol-related order. “Other things like masks ... the state has a very difficult (time) trying to enforce a statewide mask order because one size does not fit all,” McMaster said.
McMaster has often cited issues with enforcement as the reason he would not issue a mask requirement. He has also said it would create a “false sense of security,” and residents would assume because the law was in place, everyone would be wearing one.
“I cannot enforce, the state authorities cannot enforce a statewide mandate for masks on five million people,” McMaster said, without elaborating on why he sees a mask rule as unenforceable.
McMaster’s statements come as the state is seeing massive increases in coronavirus cases and hospitals see an influx of patients. On Thursday, the state surpassed 50,000 identified coronavirus cases and set a new record for having the most COVID-19 patients hospitalized with more than 1,400.
A Harvard study has labeled 16 South Carolina counties as having some of the highest risk levels in the country for the virus, and a New York Times analysis showed that the Palmetto State had some of the largest increases in cases per capita in the world last week.
For months, McMaster and Department of Health and Environmental Control officials have pleaded with South Carolinians to wear masks when they leave their homes. But the governor has repeatedly said he would not require them to be worn under a statewide mandate.
Several local governments across the state —including Columbia, Cayce, Irmo, West Columbia, Lexington and Richland County— have passed their own legislation ordering residents to wear masks while in public. Some mayors said they felt the need to take the step due to inaction from the governor.
McMaster said Friday that local governments were within their rights to issue their own mask requirements.
But state health officials have said that their efforts might not be enough. State epidemiologist Linda Bill has said a statewide mask requirement would be far more effective.
As of Friday, 23 states have some sort of statewide mask mandate, including North Carolina. Seven more states have statewide mask requirements for employees.
Some states have chosen to take half measures, like Ohio, whose governor announced this week that residents in counties with a certain level of coronavirus activity would be required to wear masks until the virus could be slowed there.
This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 11:18 AM.
