COLUMBIA, S.C. — On Tuesday, the City of Columbia passed a citywide ordinance requiring the use of face coverings in restaurants, retail stores, salons, grocery stores and pharmacies.
The ordinance will take effect on Friday, June 26 at 6 a.m.
The Five Points Association notified their merchants of the ordinance and, according to a statement released Wednesday morning, are encouraging and expecting all businesses and customers in Five Points to adhere to the new ordinance.
Under the ordinance, every person over the age of ten would be required to wear a face covering within the boundaries of the City of Columbia in the following situations:
- Inside a building open to the public;
- Waiting to enter a building open to the public;
- Interacting with other people in outdoor spaces, including, but not limited to, curbside pickup, delivery, and service calls;
- When engaging in business activities in private spaces;
- Utilizing public or private transportation; or
- Walking in public where maintaining a distance of six (6) feet between other members of public at all times is not possible.
The association also expects merchants and customers to follow any additional guidance provided by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) or relevant governmental agencies.
According to the statement, The Five Points Association worked closely with the City of Columbia in the decisions they have made in recent weeks concerning COVID-19, including the cancellation of the St. Patrick's Day Festival in March.
You can read the complete statement, attached below:
