Who says they wear a mask most often in SC? Hilton Head, Folly Beach are record breakers
If you’re out and about on Hilton Head Island, you’re more likely to see people with face masks on than anywhere else in the state, according to a survey based on self-reporting published July 17 by The New York Times.
The survey, run by global data and survey firm Dynata, shows that there is a 74% chance that everyone in five random encounters will be wearing a face mask in the mid-island census tract that covers Shelter Cove, Palmetto Dunes, Shipyard, Pope Avenue and Indigo Run.
That is the highest rate of face mask use in the state.
The percentage is calculated from survey results that ask residents to self-report how frequently they wear masks in public. On Hilton Head, 81% of people surveyed in the mid-island tract said they “always” wear a mask in public.
Hilton Head residents may have reason to be hyper-vigilant when it comes to the virus.
Visitors from across the country have poured in for summer vacations since Memorial Day weekend. And the average age of a Hilton Head resident is 50 years old, putting a significant portion of the island’s population at greater risk for the virus.
Who says they use masks the most?
Hilton Head and Bluffton had high percentages of mask use — the survey found chances of between 60% and 74% that five strangers you see in the respective municipalities will be wearing masks.
The next highest mask use area in South Carolina is the Johns Island and Folly Beach areas, where The Times’ survey reported a chance between 68% and 71% that everyone is masked.
Meanwhile, other tourist destinations don’t look as well-masked. In Myrtle Beach, the likelihood that all five people you encounter are wearing masks is between 31% and 46%.
In the Columbia area, The Times’ survey found that chance ranges from 27% to 57%, depending on the part of the city.
The survey comes as mask use is politicized across the country.
While some call face masks necessary precautions to slow the coronavirus’ spread, others call masks forms of control sanctioned by the government. A middle ground vocal on social media regrets the need for face masks in the summer time as the pandemic continues to impact daily American life.
In Beaufort County, local face mask requirements went into effect in early July. Hilton Head requires guests and employees to wear a mask in all commercial spaces like restaurants and stores. If you fail to wear a mask, you can be charged with a misdemeanor (accompanied by up to a $500 fine or up to 30 days in jail).
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office reported on July 10 that deputies had not charged anyone with the misdemeanor.
In the Lowcountry, local ordinances appear to be the authority on the precaution. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has not issued a statewide face mask rule, and neighboring Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp last week banned local municipalities from adopting mask ordinances, although he then required residents to wear face coverings.
How was mask use calculated?
The New York Times’ survey was conducted between July 2 and July 14, when all Beaufort County municipalities had already enacted face mask ordinances.
Around 250,000 people responded to the survey, the New York Times reported.
To calculate the chance you come into contact with five people wearing masks, the newspaper assumed people who responded that they “frequently” wear a mask use it 80% of the time, people who responded “sometimes” wear a mask 50% of the time and people who responded “rarely” wear a mask 20% of the time.
“Surveys are the easiest way to measure mask behavior among large groups of Americans, but they may not be perfectly accurate. Some people, after all, may know they are supposed to wear a mask and exaggerate their adherence when asked. But, given the political divisions about mask-wearing, these numbers at least give a sense of how many people at least want to claim they use masks,” the newspaper reported.
Where do I need a face mask?
Here’s a breakdown of where you need a face mask in Beaufort and Jasper Counties.
This story was originally published July 20, 2020 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Who says they wear a mask most often in SC? Hilton Head, Folly Beach are record breakers."
