NEWS

Fayetteville and Cumberland County are now requiring masks in government buildings

Jack Boden
The Fayetteville Observer

The increase in COVID-19 cases in the area has prompted both the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County to reinstate mask-wearing mandates in government buildings and agencies.

"Cumberland County’s COVID-19 test positivity rate is 13.7%, which reflects the average percent positive over the last two weeks," county spokeswoman Sally Shutt said in a news release. "This rate has increased significantly in the last two weeks. Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, Cumberland County has moved back into the Orange Tier in the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 County Alert System, which means substantial community spread."

Government employees and people inside city buildings will be required to wear masks beginning Monday, according to a Friday news release from city spokeswoman Nacarla Webb. 

Earlier this week, Cumberland County announced that as of Thursday, mask-wearing was mandatory in county buildings regardless of vaccination status.

The reinstatement of the mask mandate at the local level comes about a week after Gov.Roy Cooper reversed his guidance on masks in schools and urged all K-12 public school students and staff to be masked, even if they have been fully vaccinated.

Previously:North Carolina reverses course, urges masks in all schools

N.C. Governor Roy Cooper tours a Cumberland County COVID-19 drive-thru vaccination site at the Crown Expo Center in Fayetteville on March 5, 2021.

According to the county news release, the CDC issued new mask guidance that urges people in areas with substantial and high transmission rates — even those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine — to wear a mask in public indoor settings in order to prevent the spread of the virus' Delta variant.

Myron B. Pitts:Cumberland County doing OK with COVID-19 vaccines, but Delta variant looms

“We are taking this step to try to protect our employees and our citizens from the Delta variant," County Manager Amy Cannon said in the release. "We are monitoring our county metrics and the recommendations from the CDC, State health officials and our Public Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green regarding any further protective measures. I encourage everyone to get vaccinated. It is the best protection against the Delta variant.”

According to the city's news release, the reinstatement of the mask mandate in city buildings is also a response to the surge of the Delta variant and the new CDC guidance. 

The release said visitors to City Hall are encouraged to schedule appointments before entering the building. People can access city hall 24/7 at the city website and obtain many services without meeting in person with city staff, the release noted.

According to the release, the Fayetteville regional airport will continue to require masks for travelers and if they do not have a mask, one will be provided for them.

Fayetteville Area System of Transit employees and passengers will also be required to wear masks, but this excludes the use of face shields, neck gaiters or bandanas, the release said. 

FAST has also reduced the passenger capacity on buses from 35 to 22 people and urges passengers to maintain a 6-foot distance from each other and enter and exit the bus from the rear door, the release said. 

The Fayetteville Police Department has continued to maintain a mask mandate for all people who enter the building, the release said. 

Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation will continue to monitor local, state and federal guidance as fall sports schedules are determined, according to the release.

Crime reporter Jack Boden can be reached at jboden@gannett.com.

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