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HOLA News Editorial Office | [email protected]
Charlotte, NC.- Mecklenburg County commissioners voted to end the county’s indoor face covering requirement at their meeting Wednesday night, but they will remain optional in public places beginning Feb. 26.
The mandate, which was initially instituted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then again over the summer due to a spike in cases due to the Delta variant, is one of the few remaining in North Carolina.
In terms of masking, the health department said it didn’t improve impact during the Omicron variant as it did with the Delta variant. County Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington has recommended revoking face coverings effective February 26, 2022.
The official still recommended that people wear masks indoors, but they will no longer be required. Masks will remain mandatory in healthcare and public transportation settings, including planes, buses, and airports.
Washington also recommended switching child care and K-12 schools to optional masks in early March.
The positivity rate as of Wednesday was 14.5%, but commissioners had previously voted to end the mask mandate once cases were at or below 5% over a seven-day period.
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