North Myrtle Beach votes in favor of face mask policy as COVID-19 numbers balloon
North Myrtle Beach will now require residents and visitors to wear face masks when frequenting all retail, service and food establishments.
City officials during a special meeting on Tuesday voted on an ordinance that will require people to wear face masks or coverings while working, visiting or doing business within the city. North Myrtle Beach is the first Horry County community to pass a face mask policy as coronavirus cases continue to surge.
Mayor Marilyn Hatley said people may have the freedom to do what they want after receiving some opposing comments to the ordinance from members of the public, but stressed that many within the community have failed to follow health guidelines, social distance and wear face masks in recent months. Up to this point, wearing a mask has been encouraged.
“There is a responsibility for all of us to look out for the health and safety or our community,” Hatley said. “Wearing a mask is a simple thing. It’s easy to wear them into the stores.”
The policy will require face masks be worn in all retail establishments, such as groceries and pharmacies, along with any business where personal services are dispensed, including hair and nail salons, barbershops, gyms and tattoo parlors. In the event that the face covering interferes with the personal service provided, the face covering may be removed, officials said.
Additionally, all restaurants, retail establishments, personal service and government agencies must require employees wear masks while engaging in any face-to-face interaction with the public.
City Manager Mike Mahaney said businesses won’t be required to enforce the ordinance, but must place signage throughout the establishment informing patrons that masks must be worn. Furthermore, the city recommends that all restaurants in North Myrtle Beach participate in the Palmetto Priority program.
Exemptions to the ordinance include any person who is unable to safely wear a mask due to age, underlying health condition, religious beliefs or if unable to remove or put on mask without proper assistance.
Individuals who violate the order will be guilty of a civil infraction and fined $25, with businesses receiving a $100 fine for non-compliance. Each day of a continuing violation of the ordinance shall be considered a separate offense, the order states.
“It’s about mutual respect,” Councilman Fred Coyne said. “It’s just fair.”
The order will go into effect at noon on Thursday.
While the order will be in effect for 60 days, Hatley hopes the city can lift it in a month if coronavirus case numbers start to decrease. Moving forward, Hatley wants the ordinance to encourage the community to work together to protect one another from spreading the virus and help tourists feel more comfortable when visiting the city.
“Our objective is not to pit advocates of face coverings against those who do not believe in them or to exercise government power for its own sake,” Hatley said. “We have a serious COVID-19 problem in South Carolina and Horry County, and North Myrtle Beach is right in the middle of it all. This ordinance highlights the fact that we, as a City Council, cannot sit idly by and just let things ‘run their course.’”
Myrtle Beach City Council is also considering a face mask policy ahead of the holiday weekend.
The proposed order, which is subject to change, will go before Myrtle Beach City Council during a special meeting on Thursday for a vote. If passed, the order will go into effect immediately, meaning residents and the expected influx of tourists for the July 4 weekend would be required to adhere to the policy and wear a face mask or covering where required.
Face coverings can include, but are not limited to, bandanas, medical masks, cloth masks, scarves, and gaiters, provided they securely covers the person’s nose and mouth.
The proposed policy calls for face masks to be worn in all retail businesses or establishments that are open to the public. Those would include grocery stores, pharmacies, liquor stores, laundromats, barbershops and hair salons, gyms and fitness facilities, and professional service buildings, such as real estate offices, accounting firms and attorney offices.
Additionally, the order would apply to commercial retail establishments, including sporting goods, beachwear, furniture and home-furnishing stores. Floral shops, department stores, clothing, shoe, jewelry, luggage, hardware and home-improvement, book, craft and music stores would also be included.
With the rise in cases, nearly a dozen South Carolina cities, including Greenville, Columbia, Hilton Head and Charleston have chosen to enforce ordinances requiring masks be worn — a step S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster hasn’t taken, despite expressing dismay with the recent case boom and many in the public dismissing health officials’ recommendations.
As of Tuesday, Horry County had 3,319 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 45 deaths, according to S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Since the start of June, more than 2,500 cases have been diagnosed. Prior to the area hosting its first testing event on May 30, Horry County had only recorded 426 coronavirus cases since the first case was reported on March 15.
Overall, South Carolina has 36,297 confirmed coronavirus cases and 735 deaths, according to DHEC, as of Tuesday.
This story was originally published June 30, 2020 at 1:48 PM.
