Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) issued an executive order on Wednesday requiring residents to wear masks outside the home as the city struggles with the rise in coronavirus cases.
“Basically what it says is that if you leave home, you should wear a mask,” Bowser said at a press conference. “This means that if you are waiting for a bus, you must have a mask. If you are ordering food in a restaurant, you must wear a mask. If you are sitting in a cubicle in an open plan office, you must have a mask. “
The order, which allows fines of up to $ 1,000 per violation, will not apply to children under the age of 3 and to people who are actively eating or drinking.
6 / Finally, it is simple: wear a mask. Save lives. Stop the spread. pic.twitter.com/hLotrKzOGe
– Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) July 22, 2020
The mayor also said he will extend the District’s state of emergency.
The nation’s capital has seen an increase in cases as it moves toward reopening its economy. DC, Maryland and Virginia reported their highest COVID-19 case counts since early June on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the District reported 102 new coronavirus cases, the most in a single day since June 4, for a total of 11,529 cases.
DC LaQuandra Director of Health Nesbitt He said two-thirds of new coronavirus cases in July involve people under the age of 40 and that many patients likely contracted the virus while traveling.
Baltimore Mayor Bernard Young (D) on Wednesday ordered restaurants to suspend indoor dining by the end of the week and announced the expansion of face-covering requirements.
On Tuesday, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced People in your county, which is adjacent to but does not encompass the city of Baltimore, will be required to wear a mask in public places.
Launch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guide last week urging to wear universal mask.
—Updated at 2:50 pm
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