View Comments Two weeks before Gov. Henry McMaster made wearing masks in schools optional, top officials from South Carolina's Department of Health and Environment Control "were very concerned about the risk" and wanted McMaster to delay the lifting of mask requirements until fall, according to emails obtained by The Greenville News through a Freedom of Information Act request. "We saw that the Governor made remarks today saying he is opposed to children wearing masks in schools," DHEC Director Edward Simmers said in an April 28 email to the Governor's Office. "From a health and safety standpoint, our very strong recommendation is that children should continue to wear masks in school until the end of this school year."