Chatham County orders face mask requirement as GA Gov. Kemp renews ban on local rules
Chatham County issued an emergency order Friday requiring masks, though the rule comes as the Georgia governor extended an order barring such local mandates.
Effective Saturday, the countywide order requires people wear masks or coverings over their nose and mouth while in commercial establishments, public spaces, government buildings and any time there is a group of 10 or more people. Businesses of all types, including restaurants and grocery stores, must require employees to wear masks when interacting with the public, according to a county release.
The county order came on the same day Gov. Brian Kemp extended rules barring local governments from requiring masks. The governor’s order encourages face coverings but does not require them.
County officials said the decision to order masks came after the county rose to the sixth-highest number of COVID-19 cases in Georgia.
“This increase along with the rise in hospitalizations locally calls for us to take action,” Al Scott, chairman of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, said in a statement Friday. “I have spoken with all the mayors and the director of the Coastal Health District and we are in agreement masks or face coverings need to be worn to help protect the residents and visitors of our County. Even with the majority of our residents and visitors wearing masks, it could take eight weeks to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
The local rule includes exceptions for health reasons, for children age 5 and younger and for sports leagues sponsored by a school, city or county where proper COVID-19 health standards are followed.
A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and businesses that don’t comply could be declared a nuisance and shut down, according to the county release.
But that could all be for naught under Kemp’s order. The state document says county or municipal rules “more or less restrictive” than the governor’s order will be suspended.
Kemp is in a legal fight with the city of Atlanta over a local mask requirement, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
