Milwaukee eyes mask mandate

Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic says the city would seek compliance first with a possible mandate to wear face masks in public.

ADRIENNE: WELCOME BACK TO"UPFRONT."PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS AREIMPLORING PEOPLE TO WEAR FACEMASKS TO HELP CURB THE SPREAD OFCORONAVIRUS.NOW, THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE MIGHTREQUIRE PEOPLE TO WEAR MASKS INPUBLIC.WE’RE TALKING MORE ABOUT THISNOW WITH MILWAUKEE ALDER MARINADIMITRIJEVIC.WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.I KNOW YOU ARE REALLY BUSY.I WAS READING THIS MODEL YOU AREINTERESTED IN GHOST BASED OFF OFSOMETHING YOU HAVE IN CALIFORNIAWHERE THEY ASK EVEN PEOPLEOUTSIDE TO WEAR MASKS.SO TELL ME ABOUT IT.MARINA: A GROUP CALLED MILWAUKEECARES IS ABOUT PROTECTING THEONES WE LOVE AND CARE ABOUT.NO FACE COVERINGS AND MASKS CANSTOP AND REDUCE THE SPREAD OFCOVID-19.CERTAINLY INDOORS AND SHOULD BEREQUIRED.WE SEE NOW, AS THERE IS MOREOUTDOOR ACTIVITY, THAT IF YOUARE NOT ABLE TO PROPERLY SOCIALDISTANCE, YOU SHOULD CONSIDERUSING A FACE MASK OR COVERINGOUTSIDE.LOOK AT THE COUNTY ZOO, THEBEACHES.WHEN THERE IS A LARGE GROUP OFPEOPLE OUTSIDE, IT IS SOMEWHEREWE WANT TO CONSIDER HAVING FACECOVERINGS.ADRIENNE: DOES THAT INCLUDESOMETHING IF I’M IN MILWAUKEEAND GOING FOR A RUN, SHOULD ISAY BE WEARING A FACE MASK?MARINA: WE ARE LESS WORRIEDABOUT THE SOLO PEOPLE OUTWALKING A DOG OR RUNNING, ORBICYCLING, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGEWHENEVER YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE TOHAVE THIS, YOUR FACE MASK,HANDY.YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN SOMEONE MAYCROSS WITHIN THOSE SIX FEET ORSOMETHING HAPPENS.ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN WHEN YOUARE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE.WHY NOT HAVE IT WITH YOU INORDER TO PROTECT AND SAVE LIVES.ADRIENNE: AND THIS IS GOING TOTHE COUNCIL THIS UPCOMING WEEK.WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT DO YOUTHINK YOU HAVE?MARINA: GREAT SUPPORT.HUNDREDS OF MILWAUKEE IS THISIS, LARGE AND SMALL, --MILWAUKEE BUSINESSES, LARGE ANDSMALL, REQUESTED THAT.AND OPEN THE ECONOMY.IF WE WANT TO REOPEN THEECONOMY, WE WANT TO DO ITSAFELY.THIS IS A SAFE ROUTE TO MAKESURE SHUTDOWN DOES NOT HAPPENAGAIN.THERE IS A PETITION ONLINE THATIS NEARLY 10,000 PEOPLE, AND WEHAVE RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF PUBLICCOMMENTS.MOST IN FAVOR AND THERE AREQUESTIONS.ADRIENNE: THERE ARE A FEWQUESTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.WHAT ABOUT ENFORCEMENT?MARINA: AS WITH ANY TIME WE HAVEAN ORDINANCE, ENFORCEMENT IS ANIMPORTANT PART OF THAT.WE ARE LOOKING TO SPENDTHE MOST AMOUNT OF TIME ONCOMPLIANCE.THAT’S WHY IT’S CALLED MILWAUKEECARES.WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT ONEANOTHER.IF WE DON’T HAVE COMPLIANCE, WEWILL SPEND MORE TIME ANDRESOURCES TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE,AND OCCUPYING MORE HOSPITALBEDS.THE LARGER THE RISK, THE LARGERTHE ENFORCEMENT WILL BE.WE ARE TRULY HOPING FORCOMPLIANCE.ADRIENNE: WHAT WOULD THATENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE?A TICKET, WHAT IS IT?MARINA: WE ARE STARTING WITHSOME OF THE BUSINESSES IN THESPACES TRYING TO REOPEN HERE,AND WE ARE LOOKING AT BUSINESSESTO MAKE SURE THEY COMPLY ANDBEING A PARTNER WITH THEM.AND I THINK IT WILL BE LIKE ALARGER EVENT, WE WILL LOOK FORCOMPLIANCE.WE ARE NOT GOING AFTER THESINGLE PERSON OUT THERE DOINGTHEIR OWN THING, TRYING TO HAVETHE PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCE.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, AS WEREOPEN IN THESE FINAL PHASES, WEARE DOING THINGS CORRECTLY ANDSAFELY.ADRIENNE: I THINK ANOTHERIMPORTANT QUESTION -- BECAUSETHIS CAME UP WHEN MILWAUKEECOUNTY SAID YOU HAD TO WEAR AMASK AND COUNTY BUILDINGS, FORPEOPLE WHO MAY BE CAN’T AFFORDIT, DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO A MASK.HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THOSESITUATIONS?MARINA: WE WANT TO HAVE ACCESSFOR EVERYONE TO HAVE THE MASKSTHEY NEED AND ALL OF THEPROTECTIVE GEAR, SO WE CAN HAVEA LITTLE MORE INDEPENDENCE INTHESE TIMES.IN THE TRACKING OF OURLEGISLATION, WE ARE LOOKING ATCREATING A MASCOT LINE.WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPEND CITYRESOURCES TO GET PEOPLE THEMASKS THEY NEED AND CONNECTTHEM.THE LITTLE BIT OF PUBLIC DOLLARSTHAT MIGHT GO INTO A MASK COULDSAVE LIVES AND SAVE MONEY.WE HAVE MANY PARTNERS, PRIVATE,THAT HAVE HELPED THE MASKASSEMBLY.WE THINK WE CAN DO IT IF WE WORKTOGETHER, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE ASAFE MASK IN THE HANDS OF EVERYMILWAUKEE AND.-- MILWAUKEEAN.ADRIENNE: THANK YOU FOR YORTIME TODAY.MARINA: THANK YOU.ADRIENNE: COMING UP.SO HOW DOES THIS WORK?