The mayor of South Carolina’s capital city is considering issuing a school mask mandate, a move he says would protect vaccine-ineligible children amid the coronavirus’s resurgence. The effort would put Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, a Democrat, at odds with Republican Gov. Henry McMaster as well as the GOP-controlled Legislature, which recently barred such policies for all public schools.
The University of South Carolina is reversing its decision last week to require masks inside campus buildings. This comes after South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson wrote a legal opinion saying the university could not legally require mask wearing on campus.
The University of South Carolina can’t lawfully require students and staff to wear face coverings on campus this fall, despite increasing cases of coronavirus, thanks to recent legislative action, according to the state’s top prosecutor. Last week, university officials announced that they would require “face coverings to be worn at all times inside all campus buildings, unless you are in your own residence hall room, private office or you are eating inside campus dining facilities.”
Walmart is requiring that all workers at its headquarters as well as managers who travel within the U.S. be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer is also reversing its mask policy for its employees, including vaccinated ones, who work in stores, clubs, distribution facilities and warehouses. Going forward, they will be required to wear masks in areas with high infection rates.
The South Carolina Department of Education says public schools in the state will not adopt the CDC’s recommendations on required mask wearing in schools.
The CDC reversed course Tuesday on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was expected to backpedal Tuesday on its masking guidelines and recommend that even vaccinated people wear masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging, a federal official said.
DHEC responds to new guidance from the CDC for students returning to school
Vaccinated teachers and students don’t need to wear masks inside school buildings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in relaxing its COVID-19 guidelines.
It will soon be a lot easier to see smiles again at Walt Disney World in Florida. Starting Tuesday, face masks will be optional for theme park visitors who are vaccinated.
