Hilton Head will discuss mask requirement Monday. Will you be affected?

After a week of scrutiny for moving slowly on a mask requirement, the Hilton Head Island Town Council on Monday will discuss requiring masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

But the requirement wouldn’t cover everyone.

The proposed ordinance would make face masks mandatory for customers in grocery stores and pharmacies, but no other establishments such as restaurants and bars.

It takes a stronger stance on island employees, though.

The ordinance would require employees of restaurants, bars, retail stores, salons, grocery stores and pharmacies to wear face masks at all times they are in the same place as the public or near another employee.

If the ordinance passes on Monday, any person who violates the face mask rule would be guilty of a misdemeanor, according to the ordinance. A misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of up to $500 or 30 days in jail, according to the town code.

Although customers in businesses like restaurants and bars couldn’t be punished for not wearing a mask, the ordinance states that any business or establishment that collects three or more violations can be declared a nuisance.

Town Council will discuss the proposed ordinance at 8:30 a.m. Monday. Public comments on the ordinance should be submitted on the online comment portal on the town’s website.

Comments are due very soon: Noon on Sunday is the cut-off for input on the ordinance.

The ordinance comes as Beaufort County is recording record numbers of the coronavirus and organizations such as The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce is planning to distribute face masks in front of island grocery stores this weekend.

If the Town Council passes the ordinance, it will join cities like Columbia and Greenville with mask requirements. On Wednesday, S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson said he finds local mask requirements to be legal, even if the state has not passed a mandatory mask law.

How to make a face mask at home

If you can’t purchase a face mask, there are several ways to create your own.

Here are three methods from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Method One: Sewn Cloth Face Covering

What you’ll need:

• Two 10”x6” rectangles of cotton fabric
• Two 6” pieces of elastic (or rubber bands, string, cloth strips, or hair ties)
• Needle and thread (or bobby pin)
• Scissors
• Sewing machine

Steps:

1. Cut out two 10-by-6-inch rectangles of cotton fabric. Use tightly woven cotton, such as quilting fabric or cotton sheets. T-shirt fabric will work in a pinch. Stack the two rectangles; you will sew the mask as if it was a single piece of fabric.
2. Fold over the long sides ¼ inch and hem. Then fold the double layer of fabric over ½ inch along the short sides and stitch down.

1. Run a 6-inch length of 1/8-inch wide elastic through the wider hem on each side of the mask. These will be the ear loops. Use a large needle or a bobby pin to thread it through. Tie the ends tight. Don’t have elastic? Use hair ties or elastic head bands. If you only have string, you can make the ties longer and tie the mask behind your head.

2. Gently pull on the elastic so that the knots are tucked inside the hem. Gather the sides of the mask on the elastic and adjust so the mask fits your face. Then securely stitch the elastic in place to keep it from slipping.

Method Two: Quick Cut T-shirt Face Covering (no sew method)

What you’ll need:

• T-shirt
• Scissors

Steps:

1. Cut the bottom third of the t-shirt off.
2. Cut a rectangle in the side of the section to make ties.
3. Tie behind head.

Method Three: Bandana Face Covering (no sew method)

What you’ll need:

• Bandana (or square cotton cloth approximately 20”x20”)
• Rubber bands (or hair ties)
• Scissors (if you are cutting your own cloth)

Steps:

1. Fold bandanna in half. Then fold again into thirds.
2. Place rubber bands or hair ties about six inches apart around the folded bandanna.
3. Fold sides into the middle and tuck.

This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 2:08 PM.

Katherine Kokal

The Island Packet

843-560-9158

Katherine Kokal graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and joined The Island Packet newsroom in 2018. Before moving to the Lowcountry, she worked as an interviewer and translator at a nonprofit in Barcelona and at two NPR member stations. At The Island Packet, Katherine covers Hilton Head Island’s government, environment, development, beaches and the all-important Loggerhead Sea Turtle. She has earned South Carolina Press Association Awards for in-depth reporting, government beat reporting, business beat reporting, growth and development reporting, food writing and for her use of social media.