DC mayor Muriel Bowser, on Thursday issued a new mask order in the wake of the latest upsurge in Covid-19 cases in the district.
The Mayor noted that masks are an effective tool to fight corona-virus.
Basically it says, if you leave home, you should wear a mask. This means, if you’re waiting for a bus, you must have on a mask. If you are ordering food at a restaurant, you must have on a mask. If you’re sitting in a cubicle in an open office, you must have on a mask. – Mayor Bowser
Most notable in the new order are:
INDOOR WEARING OF MASKS
Except as specified in Section IV of this Order:
- Persons must wear a mask in the common areas of apartments, condominiums and cooperatives.
- Businesses, office buildings, and other establishments open to members of the public shall post signage on their exterior doors stating that a person may not enter unless the person is wearing a mask. In addition, the business, office building, or other establishment shall exclude or attempt to eject persons who are not wearing masks or who remove their required masks.
- Employers shall provide masks to their employees.
OUTDOOR AND TRANSIT-RELATED WEARING OF MASKS
Except as specified in Section IV of this Order:
- Persons leaving their residences shall wear a mask when they are likely to come into contact with another person, such as being within six feet of another person for more than a fleeting time; and
- Persons who are operating or a passenger in a taxi or a vehicle that is part of a Transportation Network Company, or who are a passenger on or operator of any form of public transit in the District, including a bus, subway, streetcar, shuttle bus or van, or school bus, must wear a mask at all such times.
EXCEPTIONS
- Wearing a mask is not required when:
- A person is a resident or guest in a private home or apartment;
- A person is actually eating, drinking, or legally smoking;
- A person is engaged in vigorous outdoor exercise and is maintaining social distance of at least six (6) feet from each other person;
- A person is in the water at a swimming pool;
- A person is in an enclosed office that no one else is permitted to enter;
- A person is aged two (2) years old or younger;
- A person is unable to wear a mask due to a medical condition or disability, or is physically unable to remove a mask;
- A person is giving a speech for broadcast or an audience, provided no one is within six feet of the speaker;
- A deaf or hard of hearing person needs to read the lips of a speaker;
- The equipment required for a job precludes the wearing of a mask and the person is wearing that equipment, or when wearing a mask would endanger public safety;
- A person has been lawfully asked to remove the mask for facial recognition purposes.
- The enforcement provisions of this Order shall not be applied to persons in the judicial or legislative branches of the District government while those persons are on duty; and shall not apply to any employees of the federal government while they are on duty.
EFFECTIVE DATE AND DURATION
This Order shall be effective immediately and shall continue to be in effect through October 9, 2020, or until the date to which the state of emergency is extended, whichever is later. Any regulations or guidance issued pursuant to this Order, or its COVID-19-related predecessors, including Mayor’s Orders 2020-066, 2020-067 and 2020-075, shall continue to be in effect through October 9, 2020, or until the date to which the state of emergency is extended, whichever is later, unless otherwise specifically limited after the issuance of this Order.
Courtesy – DC Government
