Mask Mandate Goes Into Effect In Charlotte: Where To Wear One

CHARLOTTE, NC — Anyone entering a City of Charlotte government building will be required to wear a face covering, the city announced Friday morning.

The new citywide mask mandate went into effect immediately Friday, Aug. 13, and comes days after Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles came under pressure to issue a requirement as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to spike throughout the Charlotte metro region.

Mask mandates are already in effect for Mecklenburg County government workers, all Charlotte-Mecklenburg School district buildings and facilities, as well as list of major retailers.

Under the new policy, masks will be required in city government buildings, regardless of vaccination status.

"City of Charlotte employees, contractors, members of the public, and members of the media will be required to wear a mask while inside city governments buildings, including the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center," the city said in a statement.

Earlier in the week, Lyles said publicly that she urged everyone to wear masks, but that she lacked the power to issue such a mandate. “We should be wearing our masks. That’s what I believe, but there are also people that don’t believe that and they may not support it,” Lyles said during a news conference, the Charlotte Observer reported. “My family, we all wear masks... And what I want for my family, I want for the people in Charlotte.”

State public health officials weighed in, saying that cities and counties may implement policies, such as mask mandates, during a local state of emergency, which the City of Charlotte has been under since March 2020, WSOC reported.

Here's where masks are now required in Charlotte:

• City government buildings, including the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
• Charlotte Fire Department

Despite the new requirement, the numbers of individuals that it will affect at some facilities remains limited, however. "The Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center remains closed to the public except for public meetings held by the Charlotte City Council, Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education," the city said.

SEE ALSO:

• Major Retailers Requiring Masks In Charlotte: See The List
• Mecklenburg County Workers Now Required To Wear Masks Indoors
• Universal Masking When CMS Students Return To Class Next Month