The following press release was issued by Mayor Skip Henderson's office:
On October 15, 2020, Governor Brian Kemp signed an Executive Order which allows face covering requirements by local ordinance when certain threshold requirements are met.
In Columbus, the number of COVID-19 cases has dropped below the threshold requirement of 100 cases per 100,000 population.
Therefore, Mayor B.H. “Skip” Henderson III has temporarily suspended the enforcement of Ordinance No. 20-043, which requires that face coverings be worn in public places and businesses in Columbus with certain exceptions.
Business owners should continue to follow all employee and customer health and safety regulations set forth in Governor Kemp’s Executive Order and should encourage all customers to wear face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Mayor also continues to encourage all business owners and customers to follow the Center for Disease Control’s recommendations on Social Distancing. Despite this suspension of enforcement of face covering rules in public places and businesses, all persons entering buildings owned by the Consolidated Government of Columbus, Georgia or designated courtrooms shall be required to wear face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Should the number of COVID-19 cases in Columbus for the previous 14 days again exceed the threshold requirements of Governor Kemp’s Executive Order, then Mayor Henderson will again announce immediate enforcement of the face covering requirements for persons in public and entering businesses contained in Ordinance No. 20-043.