Aiken City Council Pass Resolution to Terminate Face Covering Ordinance
Ordinance Will Expire May 6, 2021 6 AM

Aiken, SC – Aiken City Council passed a resolution by a vote of 4-3 in favor of rescinding face-covering ordinance 11192020. The vote took place in a special city council meeting held on May 5, 2021, at 5 PM.

On November 19, 2020, The City of Aiken adopted Ordinance No. 11192020 – “An Ordinance Requiring Individuals to Wear Face Coverings in Retail and Commercial Establishments Which are Open to the Public.” Additionally, the ordinance from November 19 stated: “This Ordinance shall automatically expire upon the issuance of a Resolution by the Council of the City of Aiken declaring that COVID-19 is no longer a serious threat to the public health, safety, and welfare of its citizens or the Governor’s Executive Orders declaring a State of Emergency exists in South Carolina due to COVID-19 are not renewed, whichever event is earlier.”

A declining number of new cases reported by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) on April 19, 2021, and approximately 1.2 million completed vaccinations were cited among the factors in deciding that the threat of the COVID-19 virus to the health, safety and welfare of Aiken residents or visitors had been significantly lowered. As a result, Aiken City Council voted that Ordinance No. 11192020 will automatically expire at 6:00 AM. Thursday morning, May 6, 2021.

The City of Aiken encourages all of its citizens to receive the COVID-19 vaccinations and continue to comply with effective “social distancing” practices. This Resolution shall not be interpreted to prohibit individual businesses from requiring their employees, customers, and visitors to wear masks at their place of business.