Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson this week renewed a local emergency order that mandates masks or face coverings in all county facilities.

The renewed order is effective until Feb. 25.

Masks must cover the nose and mouth, according to the order. Those who refuse to comply can be denied entry or asked to leave facilities that the county owns or leases.

Exceptions will be granted to people who need help to put on or remove masks, those who have bona fide religious objections to face coverings and those who have bona fide medical conditions that prevent them from wearing masks, according to the order.

The county will provide a mask to anyone who can’t afford one.

The order does not apply to private businesses, court facilities, school district buildings or city government buildings.

More than 18,000 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Gwinnett during the two weeks that ended Wednesday, according to data from the Georgia Department of Public Health. During the same period, almost 26% of PCR tests in Gwinnett came back positive, according to the state health department.

About the Author

Featured

8/26/17 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia leaders, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Sandra Deal, members of the King family, and Rep. Calvin Smyre,  were on hand for unveiling of the first statue of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday at the statehouse grounds, more than three years after Gov. Nathan Deal first announced the project.  During the hour-long ceremony leading to the unveiling of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the state Capitol on Monday, many speakers, including Gov. Nathan Deal, spoke of King's biography. The statue was unveiled on the anniversary of King's famed "I Have Dream" speech. BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres