Wake County Board of Commissioners Chair Matt Calabria announced today that employees and visitors to County buildings will be required to wear face masks starting Monday, Aug. 2, regardless of vaccination status. Watch the news conference here. 

Wake County has seen a 279% increase in COVID-19 cases since the beginning of June – meaning the number of people infected has more than quadrupled. Wake County hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have gone up more than 73%, and across North Carolina they have DOUBLED in the last two weeks.

"Wake County has made incredible strides fighting this virus - more than 70% of adults in our county are now fully vaccinated, but we cannot put our masks away...we cannot let our guard down. Letting our guard down now is like being in the lead in the last lap of a race and deciding you're just going to take your foot off the gas...we've got to see this through," said Wake County Board of Commissioners Chair Matt Calabria. 

Due to the increasing numbers, Wake County has moved back into the Orange Tier in the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 County Alert System, which means substantial community spread.

On July 27, the Centers for Disease Control recommended that everyone in areas designated as substantial spread wear a mask in public indoor settings, even those people who are fully vaccinated, to help prevent the spread of the delta variant and protect others.

Free COVID-19 vaccines are available to anyone 12 and older at more than 200 providers in Wake County by appointment or walk-in. Wake County Public Health has vaccination clinics in all corners of the county offering weekend and evening hours. No ID is required. Anyone can check out the free clinic schedule at WakeGov.com/vaccine.