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The ending of the state mask requirement doesn’t end the local rules for mask wearing in Charleston, however

On Friday, March 5, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced that face masks are no longer required inside state-owned buildings or inside restaurants when not eating or drinking. Local ordinances still apply however. For example, masks are still required in Charleston. City of Charleston attorney Susan Herdina issued the following statement on March 6: “As Gov. McMaster’s latest order makes clear, local mask ordinances continue to apply in local jurisdictions. Therefore, the city of Charleston’s mask requirement remains in effect, including in our bars and restaurants.”

While coronavirus cases throughout the state have been slowly declining, experts have warned that loosening restrictions now could be catastrophic. In a White House briefing on March 1, Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control, said that a fourth wave is possible if