GREENSBORO, N.C. — Many businesses in the Triad are now requiring customers, staff members and those who enter their facilities to wear masks amid the rise in COVID-19 cases.
Businesses are reinstating their mask mandates to help reduce the spread of the Delta variant.
You can find a list of businesses and organizations mandating masks below:
City of Greensboro
The City of Greensboro reinstated their mask mandate in city facilities with the mandate starting Thursday.
City officials said based on the latest CDC recommendation, employees and the public will be required to wear a mask indoors in an area of substantial or high transmission.
According to officials, Guilford County is considered an area of high transmission with a current 14-day positive COVID-19 test rate of 5.5 percent.
“If the positivity rate continues to rise, the City will consider implementing additional safety measures,” the city wrote in a news release.
Officials said masks will be required whether you are vaccinated or unvaccinated.
“It’s imperative for the city to be vigilant and maintain the focus on public safety. I encourage the continued cooperation and understanding from our employees and the public to do their part to help us get through this pandemic,” interim city manager Chris Wilson said.
City of Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines ordered masks, shields or other face masks be worn again by anyone inside city government buildings, regardless of vaccination status, in keeping with the latest CDC guidance Monday.
City officials said the order applies to City Hall, the Stuart Municipal Building, other enclosed city facilities and facilities that the city leases due to the spread of COVID-19.
According to officials, the order also applies to city-owned parking decks, the Clark Campbell Transportation Center and buses and other vehicles operated by the Winston-Salem Transit Authority.
Joines’ order was issued as a seventh amendment to the State of Emergency declaration he signed in early March 13 last year. The order take effect 5:30 p.m. Monday, according to the city.
Officials said the mandate does not apply to open-air facilities owned by the city, including basketball and tennis courts, golf courses or picnic shelters. Masks are not required for pools and pool decks, but they are required in pool bathhouses.
“While a face mask will not be required for such open-air facilities, people are strongly encouraged to adhere to CDC’s six-foot social distancing recommendation," read a statement from the city's order.
The order lists eight situations that exempt citizens from wearing a mask, including religious beliefs and medical or behavioral conditions or disabilities.
Joines lifted the mask requirement back on May 21 as the number of COVID-19 cases dropped with the rollout of the vaccines. However, the spread of the more-contagious Delta variant has reversed this decline, leading the CDC to reinstate its mask guidance.
Town of Kernersville
Starting Friday, August 6, the Town of Kernersville will require masks for employees and visitors who are not vaccinated in town buildings/facilities.
Town Officials said those who are vaccinated and who choose to share their vaccination status will not be required to wear a mask. No one is required to share their vaccination records or be vaccinated to enter the facilities, but they will be required to otherwise wear a mask.
With no way of knowing who has been vaccinated and who has not, the Town feels that the best way to ensure the safety of everyone in its facilities is to verify their status or require them to wear a mask. The town hopes this policy will be short-lived and returned to the normal way of doing business very soon.
North Carolina Zoo
Masks are now required at all indoor areas at the North Carolina Zoo starting Friday.
The zoo shared a statement on their Facebook page regarding the update.
"Given the continued threat of COVID-19 and variants of the virus, face masks are now required for all indoor areas at the North Carolina Zoo," the NC Zoo wrote on Facebook.
FACTS NOT FEAR
Remember facts, not fear when talking about the coronavirus. You should take the safety measures recommended by health leaders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Abide by the three W's. That means wearing a mask, washing your hands, and waiting at least six feet from another person. You also want to avoid touching your face and make sure to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throw it away.
WHERE YOU GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS IS IMPORTANT
It is important to make sure the information you are getting about the coronavirus is coming directly from reliable sources like the CDC and NCDHHS. Be careful not to spread misinformation about coronavirus on social media.
For more information, visit the CDC OR NCDHHS website.
NC CORONAVIRUS HOTLINE
The state also has a special hotline set up where you can call 866-462-3821 for more information on the coronavirus. You can also submit questions online at ncpoisoncontrol.org or select chat to talk with someone about the virus.
Stay connected to local, national, and breaking news: Download the WFMY News 2 app.
►Text the word APP to 336-379-5775