Similar mask mandates in place elsewhere across the diocese
Masks are worn during a Confirmation Mass at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte in September 2020. (Photo by SueAnn Howell, Catholic News Herald)CHARLOTTE — Mecklenburg County’s mask mandate requiring most people to wear face coverings in all indoor public places was expanded Wednesday, Sept. 22, to also cover churches and religious services.
The countywide mask mandate now covers 15 Catholic churches in the Charlotte area, the nine Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools, as well as the Diocesan Pastoral Center, the diocesan Catholic Schools Office, and Catholic Charities’ Charlotte location.
The Revised Mecklenburg County Board of Health Rule remains in effect until further notice and does not contain a religious exemption for indoor worship services and other religious activities, for churches or parochial schools, or for individuals or organizations involved in such activities.
The rule says individuals must comply or face a possible misdemeanor conviction. The rule is based on updated guidance from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, online here.
Exceptions are allowed for certain health reasons, children younger than 5, people eating or drinking, or alone in an enclosed space or car. Anyone “giving a speech or performance” is not required to wear a mask if they can maintain a distance of at least 20 feet from their audience.
Rising community spread of COVID-19 due to the Delta variant has prompted many local communities to reinstate health measures such as mandated face coverings indoors and social distancing – in many cases, regardless of individuals’ vaccine status.
According to the Raleigh News & Observer, at least a third of North Carolinians now fall under a local mask mandate, including Buncombe and Guilford counties and cities including Boone, Greensboro and Winston-Salem.
Father Patrick Winslow, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, urged pastors in a recent letter to “remain attentive to any local face covering rules and other 
health measures put in place by your local officials and health departments. Manage and adjust your particular safety precautions based on your prudential judgment and pastoral needs, and continue offering accompaniment and care to those who are vulnerable or fearful. Above all, we must continue encouraging the faithful to remain close to Jesus who sustains us especially during difficult times such as this.”
As of Sept. 22, state public health officials reported 15,941 people have died and 3,400 remain hospitalized due to COVID-19. Approximately 63 percent of adults in the state have been fully vaccinated.
For related resources about COVID-19, go online to www.charlottediocese.org/coronavirus-update.
— Catholic News Herald