Despite warnings from state leaders and public health officials, many South Carolinians are going maskless. We talked with projects reporters Avery Wilks and Thad Moore about why the question of when to wear a mask has become a social conundrum.
In South Carolina, the decision of whether or not to wear a mask has fallen on individuals.Politicians and public health officials have been urging people to wear face coverings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but some are concerned people are ignoring the advice. One poll found that South Carolinians lag behind 40 other states in mask use.That's pretty clear on a trip to the grocery store, where maybe two-thirds of customers wear face coverings. It's even more evident on a trip to a recently-reopened restaurant or coffee shop.
The state's top infectious disease investigator, Dr. Linda Bell, said she was alarmed to see college students packed outside bars in Columbia on a recent weekend night, all without face masks.
Seeing a low percentage of people covering their faces is especially concerning to health experts because masks are more effective in preventing the transmission of COVID-19 if more people wear them.So, why have so many people been going maskless?We talked with projects reporters Avery Wilks and Thad Moore about why the question of when to wear a mask has become a social conundrum in South Carolina.