Monterey County Health Officer issues face covering order
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) Monterey County residents will soon be required to wear a face covering when in public. The Monterey County Health Officer issued a face covering order Tuesday, which goes into effect on Thursday, April 30, at 12:01 a.m.
The face covering order basically applies anytime you are outside of your home, except for when exercising, starting Thursday morning. For example, masks must be worn when going grocery shopping, which is considered an essential activity.
A face covering is anything that covers the nose and mouth including handmade cloth masks and bandanas.
This applies when you are inside an essential business or waiting in line to get in, when seeking medical services and when riding public transportation.
“I think it’s been proven to be a best practice, by an order of magnitude, reducing your chances of contracting COVID19 or giving it to someone,” Salinas City Council member Steve McShane said.
The Health Department said face coverings are shown to help slow transmission of COVID-19 when combined with sheltering in place, social distancing and frequent hand hygiene.
Some businesses have already been encouraging face masks, but now patrons and workers will be required to wear them.
McShane is also a local employer and said this will provide some clarity for businesses.
“For essential business and permitted business, I think it's a good move. I also think it’ll help us get back to work sooner. The economy has been so devastated and this will help provide some clarity,” McShane said.
The order does not require children 12 and younger to wear face coverings or anyone who has trouble breathing.
Ahead of the the county wide face covering order, Monterey-Salinas Transit announced that they will require all passengers over the age of 12 to wear a face mask to board a bus.
The mask requirement from MST goes into effect Wednesday at midnight.
“We want our employees and our passengers who are making essential trips to be as safe as they possibly can be.” MST CEO and General Manager Carl Sedoryk said. ”If you do not have an appropriate face covering, you will not be allowed to ride on an MST bus.”
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, MST reports seeing a 75 percent reduction in passengers boarding fixed route buses on weekdays.
But MST is taking precautions for customers still making essential trips by providing staff with PPE and disinfecting its entire fleet each night.
The health department said masks are not a substitute for sheltering in place, physical distancing or hand washing.
There are exceptions to the order for people with breathing difficulties.
People who violate the order or fail to comply could face fines or imprisonment.
San Benito and Santa Cruz counties recently implemented orders as well. Santa Cruz County began requiring people to wear face coverings in public on Friday last week and San Benito County on Monday.
Read the face covering order below.
