Santa Cruz County residents may soon wear masks when out in public

Santa Cruz County residents may soon wear masks when out in public

ANOTHER SIGN OF HOWTHE CORNAVIRUSPANDEMIC IS CHANGINGEVERYDAY LIFE.

SANTACRUZ COUNTY RESIDENTSCOULD SOON BEREQUIRED TO WEAR AFACE MASK IN PUBLIC.COUNTY LEADERS AREPREPARING A NEW ORDERTHAT WILL BE ISSUEDSOMETIME THIS WEEK.ACTION NEWS REPORTERKYLA LINVILLE GIVES USTHE BREAK DOWN ONWHAT THIS MAY LOOKLIKE.

"SANTA CRUZ COUNTY HASBEEN WORKING DILIGENTLYTO FLATTEN THE CURVE, NOWTHEY'RE TAKINGPRECAUTIONS ONE STEPFURTHER BY SOON REQUIRINGRESIDENTS TO WEAR MASKSIN PLACES LIKE THE DOCTOR'SOFFICE OR THE GROCERYSTORE." "WE'RE ONLY ASKINGYOU TO WEAR A MASK IFYOU'RE IN A PLACE WHEREYOU CAN'T PRACTICEPHYSICAL DISTANCING.

THEREASON IS REALLY TOPREVENT DROPLETS FROMEXHALING OUT OF YOURMOUTH ONTO SOMEBODYTHAT YOU MIGHT INFECT."HOPPIN EXPLAINS IFYOU'RE DOING SOLOACTIVITIES LIKE YARDWORK OR DRIVING YOURCAR, YOU DON'T NEED AMASK, BUT YOU WILLLIKELY NEED TO WEARONE AT WORK."IF THEY WORK CLOSELYTOGETHER IN AN ESSENTIALBUSINESS THAT DOESN'THAPPEN TO HAVECUSTOMERS COMING IN ANDOUT, WE STILL WANT YOU TOWEAR A MASK.

YOU DON'THAVE TO WEAR A MASK IFYOU'RE IN AN OFFICE IFYOU'RE BY YOURSELF, BUT IFPEOPLE COME INTO YOUROFFICE, WE DO WANT YOUTO WEAR A MASK." BUTTHE COUNTY IS ASKINGPEOPLE TO REFRAINFROM USING MEDICALMASKS."WE NEED TO KEEP THE N-95 MASKS AND THE SURGICALMASKS FOR THE HEALTH CAREWORKERS AND OUR FIRSTRESPONDERS.

SO, AHOMEMADE MASK LIKE THISIS FINE." HEALTH EXPERTSFROM DOMINICANHOSPITAL IN SANTA CRUZSAY BEFORE TOUCHINGYOUR MASK, ITSIMPORTANT TO WASHYOUR HANDS REFRAINFROM TOUCHING THEFRONT OR INSIDE OFYOUR MASK.AND MAKE SURE ITCOVERS BOTH YOURNOSE AND CHIN.ONCE THE ORDER IS INPLACE, HOPPIN SAYS IT'SUNCLEAR HOW LONGTHIS IT MAY LAST."THERE'S A CHANCE THISMAY BE IN PLACE FOR AWHILE.

I THINK THEGOVERNOR AND A LOT OFPEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUTWHAT ARE THE CONDITIONSFOR REOPENING THEECONOMY, FOR REOPENINGSOME BUSINESSES, FORGETTING BACK TO WORK.AND THIS MAY BE ONE OFTHE CONDITIONS WE HAVEGOING FORWARD IS THE USEOF MASKS." REGARDLESSOF TIME, HOPPIN SAYSTHIS ORDER IS ALLABOUT PROTECTING OURESSENTIAL WORKERS."WE'VE ALL LEARNED HOWESSENTIAL GROCERY STOREWORKERS ARE AND NURSESARE, AND THIS IS REALLYABOUT THEM.THIS IS A COURTESY TOTHEM.

IF YOU CAN PUT ON AMASK, YOU HELP PROTECTTHEM." "HOPPIN SAYS THEORDER WILL EXCLUDECHILDREN TWELVE ANDUNDER.

AND SAYS DO NOTPUT MASKS ON TODDLERS ORBABIES BECAUSE IT CANPOSE A VERY HIGH RISK." THE ORDER WILL LIKELYBE IN EFFECT BY THISWEEKENSAN BENITO COUNTY ISALSO PREPARING ASIMILAR FACE COVERINGORDER.NO WORD YET ON IFMONTEREY COUNTY ISLOOKING AT TAKINGSIMILAR ACTION.

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