Face Coverings

According to the CDC, if you’ve been fully vaccinated you can participate in many of the activities that you did before the pandemic. Their guidance includes:

To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission. Orange County currently has moderate transmission.
Wearing a mask is most important if you have a weakened immune system or if, because of your age or an underlying medical condition, you are at increased risk for severe disease, or if someone in your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated. If this applies to you or your household, you might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission in your area.
If you are unvaccinated it is important to wear a mask in public to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Getting a free, safe and effective vaccine is easy. Learn more.
CDC is recommending universal K-12 mask wearing for all localities regardless of transmission levels.

As of May 14, 2021 at 1:30 p.m Executive Order No. 215 states that:

Face covering requirements are lifted in most settings. (See details below addressing where these requirements are still applicable.)
Nothing prevents people from continuing to wear face coverings, which are recommended for unvaccinated people and for all people in large venues. Employers, business owners, and local governments may require face coverings and social distancing.
Because children are still unvaccinated and can easily spread COVID-19, face coverings are still required in child care, children’s day camps, and children’s overnight camps. Nothing in today’s Executive Order changes the StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit requirement for face coverings in schools.
The CDC has advised that face coverings should continue to be required in several health care settings, in transportation settings like airports and bus stations, in correctional and detention facilities, and at homeless service providers. This Order continues those face covering requirements.

Read the FAQ for Executive Order No. 215.
Executive Order 215.
CDC Guidance

If you feel a business is failing to adhere to the COVID-19 policies, please fill out this form so that an Environmental Health Specialist can work with the business to comply with the requirement:

www.orangecountync.gov/RegisterComplaint

What is a face covering?

A face covering includes anything that covers your nose and mouth, such as a mask, scarf or bandana. Make sure your cloth face covering:

Fits snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
Completely covers the nose and mouth

Face Covering Requirements for Businesses

As of May 14, 2021, face covering requirements are lifted in most settings. (See details below addressing where these requirements are still applicable.)

Capacity restrictions are lifted in all settings. Social distancing requirements have been lifted in all settings. (For example, there is no longer a requirement that tables in restaurants be spaced out.)

Nothing prevents people from continuing to wear face coverings, which are recommended for unvaccinated people and for all people in large venues. Employers, business owners, and local governments may require face coverings and social distancing.

Because children are still unvaccinated and can easily spread COVID-19, face coverings are still required in child care, children’s day camps, and children’s overnight camps. Nothing in today’s Executive Order changes the StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit requirement for face coverings in schools.

The CDC has advised that face coverings should continue to be required in several health care settings, in transportation settings like airports and bus stations, in correctional and detention facilities, and at homeless service providers. This Order continues those face covering requirements.

Face covering Requirements Subject to NCDHHS Guidance

• Schools

• Child care facilities

• Children’s day or overnight camps

• Certain health care settings like long term care centers

• Public or private transportation regulated by the State of North Carolina and North Carolina airports, bus and train stations or stops

• Prisons and establishments that are providing shelter to people experiencing homelessness

• Establishments that are providing shelter to people experiencing homelessness

The following establishments, businesses, and institutions are required to follow NCDHHS Guidance with respect to indoor face covering requirements and all other COVID-19 related restrictions and recommendations:

• Schools

• Child care facilities

• Children’s day or overnight camps

• Certain health care settings like long term care centers

• Public or private transportation regulated by the State of North Carolina and North Carolina airports, bus and train stations or stops

• Prisons and establishments that are providing shelter to people experiencing homelessness

• Establishments that are providing shelter to people experiencing homelessness

If you feel a business is failing to adhere to the policy, please fill out this form so that an Environmental Health Specialist can work with the business to comply with the requirement:
www.orangecountync.gov/RegisterComplaint

Questions? Contact an Environmental Health Specialist: 919-245-2360

#MaskUPOCNC Campaign

Orange County is excited to announce the #MaskUpOCNC public health campaign.

The artist-designed poster series and corresponding social media campaign will encourage residents to “mask up” in compliance with state and county mandates.

“We know that wearing a face covering decreases the spread of the virus by trapping airborne particles, protecting yourself and others from contamination,” said Penny Rich, chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. “By wearing a mask, you do your individual part to help protect the whole population. You wear a mask to protect others, and they wear a mask to protect you. Mask up, Orange County!”

Orange County artists Mike Benson, Marcela Slade, and Bob Goldstein designed a series of eight posters depicting cultural icons encouraging the public to wear a face covering. The posters have been placed across the county.

Starting the week of July 27, residents are encouraged to share photos of themselves on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter wearing their face coverings and using the hashtag #MaskUpOCNC. One participant will be selected each week of the campaign to receive a $25 gift certificate to a local area business. Winners will be announced on Fridays.

The project is a partnership of communicators across Orange County and is led by the Orange County Arts Commission, with communicators from the Arts Commission, Orange County Health Department, Orange County Public Library, Orange County Office of Community Relations and the Town of Hillsborough on the committee. To view each work in the series, visit www.artsorange.org/maskup.

Mask/Face Covering Donations Accepted

Location:	Days/Times:	Address:	Sponsoring Agency:	Notes:
Chapel Hill Fire Station 1	Wednesdays & Saturdays 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.	403 Martin Luther King Blvd Chapel Hill	Town of Chapel Hill	Labeled container for donations
Chapel Hill Fire Station 3	Wednesdays & Saturdays 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.	1615 E. Franklin Street Chapel Hill	Town of Chapel Hill	Labeled container for donations
Hargraves Community Center	Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.	216 N. Roberson Street Chapel Hill	Town of Chapel Hill	Labeled container for donations
Carrboro Police Department	No specific day/time	100 N. Greensboro Street Carrboro	Town of Carrboro	Bin located outside