Charleston officials say mask law may have played a part in COVID-19 decline

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Charleston said the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the city has gone down dramatically in the last month.

Officials believe the mask law that went into effect July 1 may have played a big part in the decline. The city says they are seeing a decrease in both the rate of infection and the number of positive cases.

There are reminders all over upper King Street including a digital billboard that the mask law is in effect.

Senior adviser to the mayor, Tracy McKee, says the new case growth rate fell from 18 percent in June to less than two percent in July.

”I’m cautiously optimistic that the decline that we’ve seen in the growth rate and number of new cases has had an impact,” McKee said Tuesday.

However, McKee says she and MUSC are concerned about the delays in testing.

”That is having a significant impact, and we could be seeing that in the data as well,” McKee said.

McKee says people in Charleston must continue to obey the mask law.

“I think the worst thing that can happen to us right now is that people start getting mask fatigue or letting their guard down, and I think that could definitely result in another surge which will again start to strain our hospitals,” she said.

The city says since the mask law went into effect on July 1, livability officers have issued 82 first offense warnings and two second offense citations for not wearing a mask.

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