Here are your mask mandate questions answered for York, Lancaster, Chester counties.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, more South Carolina municipalities are setting their own rules to require masks or face covering in public.
Here is the latest information for cities and towns in York, Lancaster and Chester counties. It also includes information from the counties, which impacts residents and businesses in unincorporated areas.
The information will be updated regularly as municipalities set or modify their mask rules.
Rock Hill
Rock Hill City Council approved a citywide rule July 6 mandating face masks in public. The requirement applies to people in food, service and retail establishments, including grocery stores, pharmacies, salons and barbershops. The rule takes effect July 10 and lasts up to 60 days. A violation of the rule will result in a civil infraction and residents could be subject to a $25 to $100 fine.
Rock Hill will require residents to wear masks in public. Here’s what we know.
Masks are required:
▪ inside city facilities
▪ when using or driving public or commercial transportation including the My Ride bus system
▪ inside any retail, service or food service establishment
▪ while working at retail or service establishments while in areas open to the public or within six feed of other staff
▪ while working or delivering to food service establishments, when interacting with customers
Masks are not required:
▪ while exclusively with members of the same household
▪ for children under age 10, though accompanying adults should use reasonable efforts to have children age 2-9 wear masks inside establishments
▪ if outdoors or in outdoor areas of retail establishments
▪ in food service establishments where six feet of separation is observed
▪ if religious beliefs prevent wearing them
▪ when a medical or behavioral condition prevents wearing them
▪ while eating or drinking at a food service establishment
▪ in private, individual offices
▪ in settings where it is not practical or feasible, such as in a gym while exercising, swimming or obtaining services involving the head, face or scalp, such as dental work
Fort Mill
Fort Mill Town Council passed a rule requiring masks July 6. The requirement begins July 8. The rule lasts 30 days. A first infraction results in a warning, but later ones could cost $25 to $100.
Fort Mill will now require face coverings due to coronavirus. Here’s when, and where.
Fort Mill then released a list of common questions and answers on face covering rules.
Masks are required:
▪ in food service establishments that sell prepared food on dine-in, delivery, carryout or drive-thru basis
▪ in service establishments like nail and hair salons, barber shops and massage sites
▪ in retail establishments like grocery stores, convenience stores and any other business that sells non-prepared food
▪ in commercial stores like sporting goods stores, furniture and home-furnishings stores, clothing, shoe, and clothing accessory stores; jewelry, luggage, and leather goods stores; department stores; hardware and home-improvement stores; book, craft, and music stores; florists and flower stores; and all other stores that sell supplies for household use
▪ in pharmacies, alcoholic beverage stores and laundromats
Masks are not required:
▪ in outdoor or unenclosed areas of retail establishments
▪ for people whose religious beliefs prevent them
▪ for those who cannot wear a face covering due to a medical or behavioral condition
▪ for children under 10 years old
▪ for patrons of food service establishments while they are dining and/or drinking
▪ in private, individual offices
▪ when complying with directions of law enforcement officers
▪ in settings where it is not practical or feasible to wear a face covering, including when swimming or obtaining services involving the head, face, or scalp, such as dental work, haircuts, or facials
▪ while exclusively with members of a family or the same household
Tega Cay
On July 6, Mayor David O’Neal signed a proclamation encouraging Tega Cay residents to wear face coverings. The proclamation isn’t a mandate, as is the case in Rock Hill and Fort Mill.
Coronavirus latest: York cases top 1,500 as municipalities consider mask requirements
Masks are encouraged:
▪ for all customer inside retail or food service establishments, except while eating or drinking
▪ while working in retail establishments in areas open to the public or other staff members within six feet of separation
▪ while working in or delivering to food service establishments, for employees who interact with customers
Masks aren’t needed:
▪ in outdoor or unenclosed retail or food service establishments where six feet of distance is observed
▪ where religious beliefs prevent them
▪ where medical or behavioral conditions prevent them
▪ for children under age 12, though adults should use reasonable effort to have children age 2 to 12 wear them inside retail establishments
▪ for food service patrons while dining
▪ in private, individual offices
▪ when complying with direction from law enforcement
▪ where it isn’t feasible like in dental care, while swimming or recreating outdoors
▪ while with members entirely of the same household
York
York City Council debated a mask ordinance July 7. By a 4-3 vote council decided to draft a mask requirement. Seth Duncan, city manager, said after the July 7 meeting the new ordinance should be ready Monday for a final council vote.
York officials know residents don’t want required masks. So why is one coming anyway?
City of York to consider mask requirement in public amid coronavirus. Will it pass?
Clover
Anyone coming into Town Hall, Clover Community Center or Gallery 120 in Clover must wear a mask, according to the town website.
Clover Town Council last met June 15, prior to a state attorney general announcement that cities and towns have legal authority to require masks during the coronavirus pandemic. The next scheduled meeting in Clover comes July 13.
Mayor Greg Holmes said July 7 a mask requirement will be on that July 13 agenda and he supports it. The 6:30 p.m. meeting July 13 will be held at the community center and is open to the public.
Coronavirus latest: Clover, York to vote on mask requirement as county adds 30 cases
Allison Harvey, town administrator, said July 7 there will be multiple options with language similar to what Rock Hill just recently passed.
“The agenda will include an emergency ordinance requiring face coverings as well as a resolution urging face coverings so that council will be able to take some kind of official action,” she said.
Lancaster
Lancaster City Council called a special meeting June 30 that included a resolution “strongly encouraging all residents to perform their patriotic duty” by wearing masks in public, and calling for Gov. Henry McMaster to issue a statewide mask requirement.
That resolution encouraged all employees, customers, patrons, residents and visitors to Lancaster to wear face coverings while indoors at places of business, while riding in a vehicle with people from outside the household and in outdoor public areas. It asked operators of businesses and public places to post signs urging face coverings.
Chester
A mask ordinance in Chester began July 7. Chester City Council passed the rule June 29 that could have penalties up to $500 and 30 days in jail.
The city of Chester will enforce mask ordinance starting Tuesday. How will it work?
City of Chester will require masks. What we know now.
The new rule applies to indoor public places like restaurants, barber shops and grocery stores. Religious establishments are exempt.
Public establishment as well as public and commercial transportation employees have to wear face coverings. They are required outdoors when it isn’t possible to keep at least six feet of distance from other people.
Children age 2 and younger don’t have to wear masks, nor does anyone who can’t for a medical, mental health or developmental reason, or anyone unable to remove a mask on his or her own.
York County
York County doesn’t mandate face coverings. On June 29 the county released statements from York County Council Chairman Michael Johnson and York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson asking county residents to wear face coverings voluntarily.
The county leaders asked the public to follow state and federal health guidelines and to wear masks when out in public settings, when with people from outside the household and whenever six feet of social distancing is difficult to maintain.
York, Chester, Lancaster can order masks in public. But will they? What we know now.
Councilman William “Bump” Roddey has called for the county to take a further step and bring a mandate up for debate. The next scheduled council meeting comes July 20.
York County Councilman wants masks in public amid COVID-19. Will requirement be next?
A York County decision would include pockets of county residents who aren’t in municipal limits. So Rock Hill or Fort Mill residents, for instances, would follow those municipal rules. A countywide mandate would apply to unincorporated areas from the high population Lake Wylie, Baxter and Carowinds areas to the more rural parts of the county.
Lancaster County
Prior to entering the administration building in Lancaster County, people are required to wear masks. Masks are encouraged for anyone attending county public meetings. Face masks are required for visitors to the animal shelter.
Lancaster County Council last met June 22. The next scheduled meeting comes July 20.
Even more so than York County, Lancaster County has its highest concentration of residents living in an unincorporated area, with Indian Land. Residents and businesses there would fall under county mandate or recommendation, rather than any municipal one.
Chester County
Chester County restricted public access to most government buildings during the coronavirus pandemic. The county clerk of court office is now reopened with social distancing and masks encouraged.
Chester County Council met July 6. The group next meets July 20.
