Health officer urges wearing face masks in public

GRANT COUNTY — Grant County Health District wants residents and visitors to mask up – in many public settings.

“After much consideration, research and consultation,” the health district wrote in a statement Wednesday, Grant County Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny issued a “Health Officer Directive” asking people to use of face coverings.

“A sudden surge of cases of COVID-19 in Grant County could put the county residents back in Phase 1,” Brzezny stated. “I am urging and asking all Grant County residents and guests to assist our public health efforts to keep the county in Phase 2 and plan for Phase 3.”

Violation of the directive does not create grounds for arrest, fines or citations, according to the health district.

The directive applies to any indoor or confined public setting where a person will be within six feet of another individual who does not share the same household. It includes the following sectors:

• Groceries, pharmacies, and other retailers that sell food and beverage products, including grocery stores, corner stores, and convenience stores (including liquor stores that sell food), farmers markets, food banks, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, “big box” stores that sell groceries and essentials, and similar food retail establishments.

• Commercial retail stores that supply essential sectors, including convenience stores, pet supply stores, auto supplies and repair, hardware and home improvement, garden stores and indoor sales for nurseries that support food cultivation and production, office supply stores that support working-from-home, and home appliance retailers.

• Restaurants, food carry-out, quick-serve food operations, including food preparation, carry-out, and food delivery employees.

• Cannabis retail and dietary supplement retail stores; liquor, tobacco, and vapor retail stores.

• Hair and nail salons and barbers.

• Real estate locations (including in-office, vehicle, house demonstrations, if necessary).

• Veterinary care and pet grooming services.

• In-home domestic services (nannies, housecleaning, etc.).

• Buses, light rail, and other forms of public transportation.

• Agricultural work and housing.

• Food and produce processing (frozen processing, produce sorting and packing, etc.).

• Any indoor manufacturing and indoor construction and remodeling.

The following individuals may be excluded from the directive:

• Any child aged 2 years or younger.

• Any child aged 12 years or less unless parents and caregivers supervise the use of face coverings by children to avoid misuse.

• Any individual who has a physical disability that prevents easily wearing or removing a face covering.

• Any individual who is deaf and uses facial and mouth movements as part of communication, or an individual who is communicating with a person who is deaf and uses facial and mouth movements as part of communication.

• Any individual who has been advised by a medical professional that wearing a face covering may pose a risk to that individual for health-related reasons.

• Any individual who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the face covering without assistance.

The health officer’s directive also urges that masks be used properly, including by washing one’s hands before putting on or taking off the mask, and washing reusable masks before their next use.

There is rising evidence that face coverings can reduce the spread of the coronavirus, particularly when social distancing is otherwise not possible, the health district stated. The use of masks is important even for those who don’t have symptoms of the virus, due to the large percentage of people who can be contagious but are asymptomatic, the health district added.

“A simple face covering on their face has the power to save lives of people they care about and people in their community,” the health district stated.