The mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, Stephen Benjamin, declared a state of emergency in the state capital on Wednesday, triggered by Prisma Health Children’s Hospital in Columbia reporting that it is reaching a “strained capacity” of children being diagnosed with COVID-19. The Columbia City Council in South Carolina subsequently ratified the state of emergency during an emergency meeting on Thursday, mandating masks for all faculty, staff, visitors, and children in public and private schools, and daycares that instruct children from ages 2 to 14. The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office issued a press release later that day stating that it would be investigating the legality of the ordinance and would have an announcement next week. Local Ordinance Versus State Law During the meeting, Councilman Daniel Rickenmann said, though the council needs to do everything we can “to motivate and encourage” people to wear masks and get vaccinated, there is state legislation …