Masks worked so well last time, and are totally going to work again this time, right?
Here is Wake County’s new COVID mask mandate, and the five towns opting out
Wake County late Wednesday afternoon released details of a new mask mandate to help fight COVID-19.
The order requires people over the age of 5 to wear a mask in public and commercial spaces including businesses regardless of their vaccination status. It takes effect at 7 a.m. Friday.
The Wake County order is effective until Nov. 1 unless it is rescinded sooner. (snip)
Garner, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville and Zebulon all joined Wake County in its mask mandate. Raleigh and Cary have both issued their own mask orders. Combined, that makes up about 83% of the county’s population.
That means masks will be required everywhere in Wake County except the municipal limits of Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Wake Forest and Wendell. However, businesses can still require masks and some municipal buildings may require masks in those jurisdictions.
There are zero enforcement mechanisms. Two out of three places in Knightdale I went to over the past few days aren’t requiring people to wear masks, including a big retailer. Some places in Raleigh have signs up asking people to wear masks, but, not enforcing. Many do not have anything posted. A lot of people just don’t care. They’re over it. And, really, most of Wake County that isn’t a municipality has few businesses or private entities: it’s residential. And the county cannot dictate what happens in the incorporated areas, except for, surprise, schools.
“This new phase of the pandemic has brought some old challenges roaring back, but our experience in 2020 taught us an important lesson: Masks work,†Weinbrecht said.
“Because Cary citizens decided to protect each other by masking up last year, we were able to keep our hospitals from being overwhelmed,†he continued. “With the delta variant spreading quickly, we need that community spirit now more than ever.â€
Decided? No. They were forced. Sure, there were some who did this voluntarily, and continued to do it. And they’re the ones you see wearing masks down over their noses and even mouths. Getting too close to people. Touching other people. Wearing them while solo in their cars. Playing Mask Theater.
Both Cary and Raleigh’s orders require people to wear masks in private or public settings when not with members of the same households. Wake County’s order doesn’t apply to private homes or vehicles.
How many people do you think are wearing masks in their own homes when people stop by? 0.5%? Anyone else think that reinforcing the original rules – wash your hands, don’t touch your face, don’t touch other people, social distance – would work better than thin pieces of cloth no designed to stop viruses? Especially when masks make people feel like they can get close to other people.
Meanwhile
Read: Wake County To Institute A Worthless Mask Mandate Friday »
Wake County late Wednesday afternoon released details of a new mask mandate to help fight COVID-19.
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