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Mayor Allen Joines officially rescinded Monday the citywide mask requirement but left it in place for city buildings.

The requirement also remains in place for public transportation, including city buses and the Clark Campbell Transportation Center. 

Businesses, churches and other organizations are free to make their own requirements as to masks or other COVID-related measures.

Joines signed a 13th amendment to the State of Emergency declaration he initially issued March 13, 2020, rescinding the eighth, ninth and 10th amendments to the declaration. These amendments reinstated the citywide mask requirement, exempted performers and public speakers from wearing masks provided they were 10 feet away from others, and required masks at the Carolina Classic Fair and Bowman Gray Stadium football games.

The 13th amendment also extends through March 31 two provisions relating to city buildings: the requirement that masks be worn in city buildings and facilities, with the exception of the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds, Truist Stadium, Bowman Gray Stadium, the M.C. Benton Convention Center “and any other facilities that were previously exempt”; and the requirement restricting in-person access to city buildings only to those with appointments. 

“I am electing to continue to require masks within city facilities for a number of reasons,” Joines said, “but particularly, because of the high number of vacancies in city jobs. We cannot afford to have a large number of employees also out on sick leave due to a COVID exposure.”

Read the full text of the amendment.