Mask up: Here’s what you need to know about the new coronavirus face covering policy
Face masks or coverings must now be worn in Myrtle Beach as city leaders attempt to reduce coronavirus cases that have ballooned in Horry County in recent weeks.
The order, which was approved by the Myrtle Beach City Council during a special meeting Thursday, requires residents and visitors to wear masks in all retail, personal service, food establishments, hotels, amusements and where a 6-foot distance cant’ be observed. The requirement doesn’t apply to the beach.
Those who fail to comply could face up to a $100 fine.
With the city a major tourist destination, it’s not surprising the council’s recent decision could result in some confusion.
Here is your guide to staying safe and following the new safety rules in Myrtle Beach.
Where do I have to wear a face mask?
The policy calls for face masks to be worn in all retail businesses, personal service, food establishments, hotels, amusements and businesses that are open to the public within the city limits of Myrtle Beach.
These include grocery stores, pharmacies, liquor stores, laundromats, barbershops and hair salons, gyms and fitness facilities, amusements, and professional service buildings, such as real estate offices, accounting firms and attorney offices.
The order also applies 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 are also included.
For restaurants and bars, masks are required while entering, exiting, waiting for a table and ordering. They may be removed while eating or drinking but must be worn otherwise. Anyone staying in hotels, short-term rentals or other overnight accommodations must wear masks in any indoor common areas.
Furthermore, the order states that all employees are required to wear face coverings while inside an enclosed area of any retail, food or hotel establishment, when interacting with the public, staff, and when social distancing isn’t feasible.
However, while businesses will be responsible for employees wearing face masks, no establishment is allowed to force any customers, visitors or other members of the public to wear coverings, according to the order.
Do I have to wear a mask at the beach or when I exercise outside?
No, but beachgoers are encouraged to wear face coverings if a 6-foot distance isn’t feasible.
Face coverings are not required while exercising, walking or spending time outside as long as physical distancing of 6 feet is maintained between you and someone who is not part of your household, family or group.
While face masks aren’t required in swimming pools, social distancing is encouraged.
What about my kids? Do they have to wear a mask?
Not little children, but youngsters 11 and older are required to wear face coverings. See below for more details.
Any exemptions to this order?
Yes, a lot.
Exemptions to the order include: personal vehicles; when a person is alone in an enclosed space; during outdoor or indoor physical activity in which the active person maintains a minimum of six feet; on a public beach provided there is a six-foot distance from others, and in outdoor or unenclosed retail, food or accommodations areas in which social distancing is possible and observed.
The policy also exempts pedestrians walking with a group of no more than 10 family members or friends who are maintaining the appropriate distance from others; patrons while dining at a restaurant; those whose religious beliefs prevent them from wearing a face mask; in settings where it is not practical or feasible to wear a mask; in private offices, and while exclusively with members of a family or the same household.
Other exemptions include those who cannot remove a face covering without the assistance of others, first-responders when not engaged in a public safety matter of an emergency nature and those who cannot wear face coverings due to a medical, mental health issue, or developmental condition.
Additionally, the order will exempt children under 10, provided that adults accompanying children age 4-9 use reasonable efforts to cause those children to wear face coverings while inside the enclosed area of any retail or food establishment, according to the mandate.
I don’t have a surgical mask. What can I use instead?
Face coverings can include, but are not limited to, bandanas, medical masks, cloth masks, scarves, and gaiters, provided it securely covers the person’s nose and mouth. Homemade face coverings, similar to surgical masks, won’t necessarily prevent you from getting sick, but it can provide a barrier that may stop the spread of the virus to other individuals.
What happens if I violate the order and refuse to wear my mask?
Those who violate the order will be guilty of a civil infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than $100. Each day the violation continues will be considered a separate offense, according to the order.
A business that violates the order could have its business license or occupancy permit suspended or revoked. An establishment that further fails to require employees to wear face coverings will be declared a public nuisance, which may be abated by the city by restraining order, preliminary and permanent injunction, or other lawful means.
Enforcement will begin with education, but could increase to fines or more if there’s continued failure or resistance to comply with the order.
Members of the Myrtle Beach Police Department will perform compliance checks while the order is in effect. Mayor Brenda Bethune acknowledged the the order will be difficult to enforce, but said the purpose of this mandate is to create awareness and achieve voluntary compliance.
How long will this face mask order remain in effect?
The order officially went into effect at 11:59 p.m. Thursday. It will remain in effect for the next 67 days, or Sept. 9, unless the City Council rescinds the order.
Why is the order necessary?
While the coronavirus isn’t causing the mass panic it did months ago, there is still a pandemic going on, and the Myrtle Beach area has seen COVID-19 cases rise significantly since the start of June. Since June 1, more than 3,200 cases have been diagnosed.
Prior to the area hosting its first testing event on May 30, Horry County had recorded just 426 coronavirus cases since the first case was reported March 15.
There is no statewide mandate to wear masks in public.
As of Thursday, Horry County had 3,727 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 49 deaths, according to South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Overall, South Carolina has had 39,587 confirmed coronavirus cases and 777 deaths, according to DHEC.
Due to the recent spike and the tourism season in full swing, Myrtle Beach has been in the national spotlight with several counties in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky having confirmed to The Sun News about 300 coronavirus cases in residents after trips to Myrtle Beach.
Bethune said action needs to be taken to protect the health and safety of both residents and tourists, and change public perception as tourism continues in the area. She said the city has no intention of closing the city or the beaches, despite the case surge, as has happened in places such as Florida and California.
“We’ve tried this voluntarily for over a month and many have been very, very good but others have ignored our voluntary requests, our pleas, and they have gone home and become very ill,” Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Karen Riordan said. “We need to flatten the curve in our great state and in our Grand Strand, specifically in Myrtle Beach.”
This story was originally published July 3, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
