At the City Commission meeting on Monday, May 25, 2021, the Mayor and City Commission voted to rescind the mask mandate for employees and visitors inside City of Douglas owned facilities and offices. Since March of 2020, a mask mandate had been in place for city employees as well as visitors/customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers should expect to see signage that says, “Masks are not required. Enter at your own risk.”
“We followed the advice of the CDC and public health experts and asked our employees and customers to mask-up while doing business in city offices. Now, we are in a position to take steps to return to normal and end the mask mandate,” says Mayor Tony Paulk. “We must continue to stay vigilant, and I strongly encourage anyone who has not been vaccinated to get their shot or shots as soon as possible.”
The CDC announced on May 13, 2021, that fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks outdoors and in most indoor settings. Individuals are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Regardless of vaccination status, the CDC recommends continuing mask-wearing in places such as schools, health-care facilities, correctional facilities, congregate living settings and public transportation.
As of Wednesday, May 26, 2021, about 8,482 Coffee Countians, or approximately 20% of the Coffee County population, was fully vaccinated, according to Georgia Department of Public Health data.