GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) -- Guilford County’s Board of Health outlined a situation considered too dire for an honor system.
The county will have a team enforcing the latest indoor mask mandate.
The team will consist of four full-time Guilford County Public Health team members, three part-time team members, and the entire Environmental Health team which includes more than 25 people.
They are responsible for education and enforcement.
They will go to businesses to make sure they are aware of the new rule and welcome their support.
The enforcement team is also responsible for investigating complaints and violations.
“They do have flexible schedules in the sense that they do not necessarily work an 8 to 5 type of schedule, so they will be out there even after-hours since we know that certain businesses in areas that might need some education open after 5 and as well as on weekends,” Public Health Director Dr. Iulia Vann said.
“Everybody’s going to start with a clean slate. This is a new rule and it's going to be newly enforced, and the rule itself specifically says that the first goal is education, and it specifically says the first violation is a warning,” Guilford County Attorney Mark Payne said.
If there’s a repeated lack of compliance, violations could lead up to $1,500 in fines.
The board says the firm stance is needed as local and state COVID metrics show an increase in cases and hospitalizations.
“We want our citizens to know that we're serious about fighting this virus, but we can't do it by ourselves,” Guilford County Board of Commissioners Board Chair Skip Alston said.
People can report Guilford County Board of Health Mask Rule Violations at (336) 641-7638, by email at covidcomplaints@guilfordcountync.gov, or by visiting www.HealthyGuilford.biz.
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