ANNISTON CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO TODAY TO ENACT A FACE COVERING ORDINANCE FOR THAT CITY ARE ALAN DEVLIN’S WINS US LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN ANDERSON WITH MORE TONIGHT ALAN. GOOD EVENING. YEAH, MICHAEL SWIFT ACTION WAS TAKEN IN RESPONSE TO A GROWING NUMBER OF COVID-19 CASES HERE IN THE AREA. NOW. THE PEOPLE OF ANDERSON ARE GOING TO START SEEING A MORE OF THESE. TODAY ANDERSON CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A NEW FACE COVERING ORDINANCE TO HELP KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE FROM COVID-19 FROM DAY ONE. THE GOAL HAS BEEN THE GOAL HAS BEEN TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS. OF THE IMPORTANCE OF FACE COVERINGS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL DISTANCE THE NEW ORDINANCE REQUIRES FACE COVERINGS IN ALL ENCLOSED SPACES INCLUDING RETAIL STORES RESTAURANTS BARBERSHOPS AND PHARMACIES. THIS DECISION COMES AS ANMED HEALTH REPORTS A RAPID INCREASE IN COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS IN ANDERSON COUNTY UP NINE HUNDRED PERCENT IN A LITTLE OVER A MONTH’S TIME ANYTHING THAT’S GOING TO ENCOURAGE HIGHER UTILIZATION OF WEARING MASKS IN THE PUBLIC IS SOMETHING THAT WE THINK IS VERY BENEFICIAL THREE WEEKS AGO THE CITY VOTED AGAINST A MASK ORDINANCE WORRIED ABOUT NON-COMPLIANCE FROM THE PUBLIC BUT THE NEW IN STATISTICS HAVE IN PART MADE WAY FOR THE NEW FACE COVERING POLICY. I DO THINK THAT PEOPLE PUSH BACK OBVIOUSLY. BUT I’M HOPEFUL THAT MORE PEOPLE. UNLESS PEOPLE WILL START READING WEARING MASKS. THE ONION’S GOES INTO EFFECT TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT THOSE FOUND NON-COMPLIANCE COULD FACE A $25 FINE, BUT FINDS AREN’T THE GOAL FOR THE CITY. THEY SAY THE COMMUNITY IS AND THIS ORDINANCE IS SET TO EXPIRE IN ABOUT 61 DAYS OR IF THE COUNCIL DEEMS IT NO LONGER NECESSARY FOR NOW. WE ARE LIVE
Anderson City Council approves mask ordinance, goes into effect Thursday at midnight
Customers of stores, restaurants, public transportation required to wear masks under new ordinance
Updated: 6:33 PM EDT Jul 23, 2020
The Anderson City Council voted unanimously Thursday to approve an ordinance requiring masks.The ordinance will go into effect at midnight and expire in 61 days.Below are the terms of the ordinance.Face coverings shall be required:All customers are required to wear face coverings while inside the enclosed area of any retail establishment, food service establishment or while using public transportation. All retail establishments shall require staff to wear, and those staff shall wear, face coverings while working in areas open to the general public and areas in which interactions with other staff are likely in which social distancing of at least 6 feet cannot be observed. All food service establishments require staff who interact with customers (including, without limitation, delivery personnel) to wear, and those staff shall wear, face coverings while working. Face coverings shall not be required:In outdoor or unenclosed areas appurtenant to retail establishments or food service establishments in which social distancing of 6 feet is possible and observed. For those who cannot wear face coverings due to medical reasons or behavioral conditions For people whose religious beliefs prevent them from wearing face coverings For patrons of food service establishments while they are dining. In private individual offices For children 10 and younger with adult supervisionThose not following ordinance can be punished by fine of up to $25 (civil infraction). The mandate was enacted due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and inpatients at AnMed Health and to remain in step with neighboring towns also enacting mask mandates to protect citizens. "Our healthcare system has seen an increase in positive cases, an increase in COVID-19 patients in ICU, and an increase in hospitalizations totally," said Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts. "I think just putting an ordinance where fines can distributed by our organization and really being able to enforce wearing masks, I think that’s what people will start to see now."Anderson Strong Promise Campaign will now run in tandem with mask ordinance.Additional coronavirus resources: · Latest update on coronavirus cases, latest headlines in Carolinas, Georgia· Sign up for WYFF News 4 coronavirus daily newsletter
ANDERSON, S.C. — The Anderson City Council voted unanimously Thursday to approve an ordinance requiring masks.
The ordinance will go into effect at midnight and expire in 61 days.
Below are the terms of the ordinance.
Face coverings shall be required:
- All customers are required to wear face coverings while inside the enclosed area of any retail establishment, food service establishment or while using public transportation.
- All retail establishments shall require staff to wear, and those staff shall wear, face coverings while working in areas open to the general public and areas in which interactions with other staff are likely in which social distancing of at least 6 feet cannot be observed.
- All food service establishments require staff who interact with customers (including, without limitation, delivery personnel) to wear, and those staff shall wear, face coverings while working.
Face coverings shall not be required:
- In outdoor or unenclosed areas appurtenant to retail establishments or food service establishments in which social distancing of 6 feet is possible and observed.
- For those who cannot wear face coverings due to medical reasons or behavioral conditions
- For people whose religious beliefs prevent them from wearing face coverings
- For patrons of food service establishments while they are dining.
- In private individual offices
- For children 10 and younger with adult supervision
Those not following ordinance can be punished by fine of up to $25 (civil infraction).
The mandate was enacted due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and inpatients at AnMed Health and to remain in step with neighboring towns also enacting mask mandates to protect citizens.
"Our healthcare system has seen an increase in positive cases, an increase in COVID-19 patients in ICU, and an increase in hospitalizations totally," said Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts. "I think just putting an ordinance where fines can distributed by our organization and really being able to enforce wearing masks, I think that’s what people will start to see now."
Anderson Strong Promise Campaign will now run in tandem with mask ordinance.
Additional coronavirus resources:
· Latest update on coronavirus cases, latest headlines in Carolinas, Georgia
· Sign up for WYFF News 4 coronavirus daily newsletter