The Central District Health Board of Public Health voted Tuesday afternoon to approve a mandatory mask order in Ada County.
A NEW, COUNTY-WIDE MASK ORDER...AIMS TO SLOW ANDPREVENT THETRANSMISSION OFCOVID-19 IN ADACOUNTY.CENTRAL DISTRICTHEALTH BOARDMEMBERS...APPROVED THE MEASUREOVERWHELMINGLYTUESDAY..
WITH THELONE DISSENTINGVOTE FROMREPRESENTATIVEMEGAN BLANKSMA.THE MANDATORYORDER TAKESEFFECT IMMEDIATELYIN ADA COUNTY..MEANING EVERYONEMUST WEAR A FACECOVERING OVERTHEIR NOSE ANDMOUTH WHILE IN APUBLIC PLACEWHERE OTHERS AREPRESENT AND IT'SNOT POSSIBLE TOMAINTAIN SIX FEETOF SOCIALDISTANCING.THE BOARDQUESTIONEDWHETHER THEORDER COULD BEENFORCED.AND OUTDOORS,THAT MIGHT BEDIFFICULT.BUT INDOORBUSINESSES MIGHTSEE THE GREATESTIMPACT.PRIOR TO THIS,BOARD MEMBERSFOUND BUSINESSESWEREUNCOMFORTABLETAKINGRESPONSIBILITY."OUR MANAGEMENTISN'T GOING TOMAKE US DO IT UNTILTHE GOVERNMENTTELLS US THEY HAVETO.
THAT'S WHATWE'RE HEARINGFROM THESEBUSINESS OWNERSAND WE'RE ALSOHEARING FRROMBUSINESS OWNERSTHAT THEY DON'TFEEL PROTECTED IFTHEY'RE THEY ONESTELLING CUSTOMERSTHEY HAVE TO WEARTHE MASK.
THEY , ITPUTS THEM IN ADIFFICULT POSITIONWITH PEOPLE WHOARE PATRONIZINGTHEIR RESTAURANTOR GROCERY STOREOR WHATEVER."EXCEPTIONS TO THEHEALTH ORDERINCLUDE --CHILDREN UNDERTWO..
THE HEARINGIMPAIRED..
PEOPLEWHOSE JOBSREQUIRE NOTWEARING MASK, LIKEON-DUTY LAWENFORCEMENT..
ORTHOSE WITHMEDICAL CONDITIONSTHAT PREVENT THEMFROM WEARING AFACE COVERING..BUT A DOCTOR TOLDTHE BOARD ANYONETOO SICK TOBREATHE THROUGH AMASK PROBABLYWOULDN'T BE ABLETO WALK IN THEFIRST PLACE.C-D-H COVERSSEVERAL COUNTIES...AND TALKED ABOUTPOSSIBLY EXPANDINGTHE ORDER IN THEFUTURE.AS WE REPORTED...BOISE MAYORLAUREN MCLEANISSUED A CITY-WIDE
Central District Health clarified its Ada County mask mandate Tuesday to make it clear that it applies to K-12 and postsecondary..