North Carolina Becomes 18th State To Mandate Face Masks

CHARLOTTE, NC — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is hoping a statewide mandate to wear face coverings will help stem the growing number of coronavirus cases in the state.

On Wednesday, North Carolina became the 18th state to issue a mandate requiring face coverings in public. The executive order went into effect Friday at 5 p.m.

Cooper said people with medical conditions and children under 11 are exempt from the order as are those who are walking or exercising outside while social distancing.

An informal survey of 1,160 Patch readers this week found that a majority support the use of face coverings to slow the spread of coronavirus in North Carolina, and that mask use — or the lack thereof — is affecting personal decisions about where to spend money and how to socialize.

“Overwhelming evidence that is growing by the week shows that wearing a face covering can greatly reduce the spread of COVID-19, especially from people who have it and don’t know it yet it,” Cooper said during a news conference. “Face coverings are a simple way to control this virus.”

When the pandemic was declared in February, the World Health Organization said there wasn't enough data to show masks prevented the spread of the coronavirus. In June, however, WHO did an about-face and recommended the use of masks based on new scientific findings as the epidemic evolves.

Additionally, National Institutes of Health studies have shown that masks reduce the risk of breathing in respiratory droplets spread by an asymptomatic person. States that have adopted mask mandates have experienced a 2 percent decrease in coronavirus cases within two weeks.

More than 2.3 million people in the United States have been confirmed to have contracted the virus, and over 120,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

In addition to the mask mandate, Cooper also announced that the state will remain in phase two of reopening for another two weeks due to the increase in cases.

As of noon on Saturday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported 60,537 cases of coronavirus after completing 855,131 tests. This included 1,719 new cases Saturday, up from 1,635 cases on Friday.

There are 888 people currently hospitalized with the virus and 1,318 people have died after contracting the coronavirus.

See related stories:

• Masks Mandatory In NC, Phase 3 Reopening Delayed: Cooper
• Mask Survey: 3 Out of 4 Say Masks Needed In NC COVID-19 Fight