Contra Costa issues mandatory face covering order; will enforce

Residents have had a grace period to find something to cover their faces when heading out to the shops, but on April 22, those failing to comply should be prepared to face stiffer action than a courteous reminder.

Face coverings, required by anyone 13 years or older, do not have to be factory-made but can be handmade or improvised from ordinary household materials. It’s important that the wearer can breathe comfortably and that the mask does not have to be adjusted frequently, so as to avoid touching the face.

The order from the Contra Costa Health Department is a further method of heading off transmission of the COVID-19 virus through respiratory droplets that people expel when they breathe and sneeze, and because the 6-foot social distancing cannot always be maintained.

While a face covering is one tool for reducing the spread of the virus, officials emphasize it is not a substitute for sheltering in place, physical distancing of at least 6 feet and frequent hand washing.

When to wear a mask

The requirement applies to the public when waiting to enter or are inside a business, including grocery stores, convenience stores, supermarkets, laundromats and restaurants.

Workers must wear a mask when the public is present or likely to be. They are also required for employees, contractors, owners and volunteers of all essential businesses or those operating public transportation and other types of shared transportation.

Children 12 years or younger are exempted. For children 2 or younger, this is especially important because of the risk of suffocation.

Those engaged in outdoor recreation such as walking, hiking, bicycling or running also do not have to wear masks. However, the 6-foot social distancing must still be exercised unless people are with members of their households.

Wearing masks is not required while in cars when traveling alone or with members of your household.

Establishments that require masks will make efforts to post signage and remind customers. However, if a member of the public is not following the order, operators can prohibit those individuals from entering and deny service. They can go as far as seeking removal of that person, so local law enforcement may get involved.

Failure to comply with any of the provisions of this order constitutes an imminent threat and immediate menace to public health as well as a public nuisance, and is punishable by fine, imprisonment or both.

Don’t buy medical masks

Health officials emphasized that as long as medical-grade masks – such as N95 masks and surgical masks – are in short supply, members of the public should not purchase them.

For handmade and improvised face coverings that are not disposed of after each use, people should clean them frequently and have extra ones available so that they have a clean one for each use.

For a video showing how to make a face covering and additional information about how to wear and clean face coverings, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html.

To read the full county order, visit cchealth.org/press-releases/2020/0417-Cover-Your-Face-Order.php.