All residents — vaccinated or not entering — will be required to wear a mask before entering county buildings in Cumberland County, according to a statement released Thursday from County Manager Amy Cannon.

Cannon’s statement included information on the COVID-19 infection rate, including the fact that the “test positivity rate is 13.7 perent, which reflects the average percent positive over the last two weeks.”

The positive rate is “significantly” higher than than county officials have seen in the previous two weeks, accordiong to the prepared statement; consequently the county has moved back into the Orange Tier as defined by the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. The Orange alert level signifies substantial COVID-19 community spread.

The county’s order on Thursday follows Wednesday’s direction from the Centers for Disease Control that said masks should be worn in “areas with substantial and high transmission, like Cumberland County.”

The federal agency has recommended masking up for everyone, including fully vaccinated individuals — both indoors and out in public settings. The department said the practice is also a deterrent to “help prevent the spread of the Delta variant and protect others.”

“We are taking this step to try to protect our employees and our citizens from the Delta variant,” Cannon said. “We are monitoring our county metrics and the recommendations from the CDC, State health officials and our Public Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green regarding any further protective measures. I encourage everyone to get vaccinated. It is the best protection against the Delta variant.”

More information can be found online at http://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/ .