Columbia extends mask requirement, increases fines to fight coronavirus

Masks are not going anywhere for the remainder of 2020 for Columbia residents. The face mask ordinance that would have expired Nov. 15 has been extended by city council to Jan. 5, 2021 with additional penalties to those who violate it.

The ordinance now states that a person who fails to comply could be fined up to $100 for not wearing a face mask within city limits, whereas the previous fine limit was $25. In addition, a person can be fined “for not wearing masks on a busy sidewalk waiting area, or popular outdoor area where it is impractical or impossible to maintain six feet of distance at all times.”

Mayor Steve Benjamin called a special meeting today to extend and amend emergency ordinances related to COVID-19. Benjamin said in a tweet that the city called the meeting to address COVID concerns after a 42% spike in cases between Nov. 2 and 3.

Councilman Howard Duvall moved to amend the ordinance to include that face coverings be worn that cover the nose and mouth. The previous ordinance did not specify that face coverings cover a person’s nose and mouth. Council voted unanimously to amend and extend the ordinance.

Thursday afternoon, Columbia and University of South Carolina officials came together at the fountain in Five Points to talk about the ordinance and how it will be enforced in the popular college party spot and other areas of the city.

USC donated thousands of masks to the Columbia Fire Department. The department will be distributing the masks, particularly to college students who often wait in long, crowded lines to get into bars.

The Fire Department would rather give people masks than tickets, but ticketing is an option for people who refuse to comply with the ordinance, officials said.

Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins said firefighters are around Five Points and Columbia “beating the drum” every day for people to wear their masks to keep themselves, their friends and family and Columbia safe from the coronavirus.

One more fire department staffer is going to be helping out in Five Points. Sparky, the fire department’s Dalmatian mascot, will be scoping out the Five Points scene and reminding college students to wear their masks.

“Even Sparky’s going to have a mask on,” Jenkins said.

The ordinance has been extended twice already, once in August and again in September. It includes an extended suspension on normal operating procedures for city council, boards and commissions meetings as well, so the meetings will continue to be held virtually.

“We’re still working our way through a very difficult time in this country,” said Benjamin. “If we continue to work together to get our arms around the public health crisis, the economic crises will deal with themselves, education crises will deal with themselves. It’s going to take all of us doing that much more.”

There are 10 counties in South Carolina that have mask ordinances in place and 62 municipalities, according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division. Columbia was one of the first municipalities to issue a mask ordinance in June.

Despite the ordinances, South Carolina did see a surge in COVID cases recently. The percentage of COVID tests that were positive in South Carolina was 14.5% Wednesday, and health officials say it should be at less than 5%. Greenville County is leading the state with new cases.

Nationally, cases are rising and hitting new records in what DHEC officials are saying could be the “fall surge”.

“The increases in case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths across the nation is extremely concerning, and we must double down on our efforts in order to prevent a second wave in South Carolina,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC’s Interim director of public health. “We understand that ‘COVID-19 fatigue’ is occurring and we’re all wishing for a return to normalcy. But think of our first responders, doctors and nurses, law enforcement officers, and essential workers who, although exhausted, keep working to keep us safe. We can’t give up.”

This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 12:57 PM.