In North Carolina, face masks or coverings are required when shopping, but some stores just encourage the mandate and not all policing agencies are enforcing the safety measure. | Stock Photo
In North Carolina, face masks or coverings are required when shopping, but some stores just encourage the mandate and not all policing agencies are enforcing the safety measure. | Stock Photo
Though Gov. Roy Cooper said that face coverings would be mandatory in businesses statewide beginning June 26, businesses across the state are inconsistent in their enforcement of this mandate.
Fifteen county sheriffs said in a North Carolina Health News report on July 10 that they do not intend to enforce the governor's order but will suggest that people should wear a face mask or coverings and would not issue citations to violators. In fact, the report noted that the state's seven most populated counties have not issued any citations to violators who did not comply with the executive order.
Responsibility for enforcing the policy falls heavily on businesses that could be fined if they do not comply, the North Carolina Health News reported. Many businesses, including larger franchise operations, have adopted an "encourage but don't enforce" policy. North Carolinians are asked to act honestly in whether they qualify for a mask exemption because of a medical or behavioral condition.
“If owners of amusement parks don’t require people on roller coasters to buckle up, that’d be a problem," Bill Marshall, professor at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law told North Carolina Health News. "And it’s going to be enforced against the company, even if it’s the customers doing it. ... It’s not all that uncommon to have regulations designed to protect people, even when they sometimes don’t want to be protected," said Marshall.
Some stores that are enforcing the order are losing business from customers who refuse to wear masks.
Employees, the ones out front or on the business floor who confront customers, often bear the brunt of customer frustration with the new mask mandate, North Carolina Health News reported. Some employees worry about their safety when interacting with customers without masks.
Evidence shows that masks are effective in helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Cooper said that for mask use to become normalized, North Carolina's public figures need to wear masks and talk openly about their importance, North Carolina Health News reported.
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