COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia City Council has approved another extension of the city's mask ordinance that will take the mandate into February.
The council approved the measure Tuesday afternoon at their meeting. The extension would last until February 13, 2021.
Last month, the council also increased fines from $25 to $100 per individual. In addition, the council allowed for businesses to be fine per visit by the fire department. That means if an inspector sees employees without a mask on one day, and comes back the next and sees another violation, they could fine.
The mask mandate first went into effect back on June 26. Columbia was the second South Carolina city, following Charleston, to enact such a rule. The first mandate was extended in October.
Under the ordinance, every person over the age of ten is required to wear them 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.
Face coverings are not required in the following circumstances:
- In personal vehicles;
- When a person is alone in enclosed spaces; during outdoor physical activity, provided the active person maintains a minimum of six (6) feet from other people at all times;
- When a person is alone or only with other household members;
- While drinking, eating or smoking;
- When wearing a face covering causes or aggravates a health condition.