Chairman Glenn Adams issued a statement today in support of Cumberland County Public Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green and the Board of Health.
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Chairman Glenn Adams issued a statement today in support of Cumberland County Public Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green and the Board of Health.
The Health Director announced Feb. 15 her decision to rescind the Public Nuisance Mask Abatement Order, which went into effect on Aug. 27, 2021. The order will be rescinded on Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. In August, the Board of Commissioners requested that Dr. Green issue the public health imminent hazard abatement order requiring masks be worn throughout Cumberland County in all indoor settings.
Only the Health Director has the authority to issue and rescind the order. Green provided a COVID-19 update to the Board of Commissioners on Feb. 10 and the Board of Health on Feb. 15, acknowledging the challenge in enforcing the order.
“I stand by the Board of Health and Dr. Green for strongly recommending that people continue to wear masks indoors and get vaccinated against COVID-19,” said Chairman Glenn Adams.
While the order is being rescinded, the recommendation remains to wear well-fitted masks while indoors, get vaccinated and practice other mitigation strategies like social distancing.
“On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, I want to thank Dr. Green and the Health Department for their work in fighting the coronavirus and I encourage our residents to do all that you can to prevent the spread of the virus,” said Adams. “We can’t forget that we have lost 519 county residents to this illness over the last two years. Cumberland County is still an area of high transmission, and our best defense is the vaccine.”
Masks will continue to be required in all Cumberland County government buildings, including the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse.
“The COVID-19 landscape looks different than it did two years ago. We know what works and what stops the spread of COVID-19,” Green said. “Masks remain an effective strategy for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Despite the recension of this formal order, we continue to recommend masking in public indoor spaces, particularly in settings with lower vaccination rates.”
Please visit cumberlandcountync.gov/ for more information about the Cumberland County government and the services provided by the various departments.