Category Archives: Face coverings

#Masks4All, #wearamask, Coronavirus, Covid 19, Face coverings, Solano County CA, Vallejo CA

Solano County officials not even discussing fines for face mask violations

Will Solano County start citing mask rebels?

Napa, Marin counties enact policy

Vallejo Times Herald, by Richard Freedman, July 24, 2020
People walk along the waterfront in Vallejo, some choosing not to wear face coverings. Solano County will not follow the lead of counties like Marin and Napa that could possibly cite those who are not in compliance with mask regulations. (Chris Riley—Times-Herald)

Solano County will not take Napa and Marin county leads and levy fines against those who refuse to wear face coverings during COVID-19.

Erin Hannigan, Solano County Board of Supervisors, District 1, said no similar policy is in discussion.

“We are not contemplating one at this time,” Hannigan said Friday, adding that “Cities are on the front lines of enforcement of the shelter-in-home orders.”

Napa and Marin counties approved fines up to $500 for violators ignoring state and local health orders after California surpassed New York on Wednesday with the highest COVID-19 case count. On Thursday, the state reported a record seven-day average for deaths.

Marin County can fine anti-maskers $25 to $500 and businesses can be fined between $250 and $10,000 for compliance failure.

Napa County passed its emergency ordinance July 14. People who hold gatherings or walk outside without a face covering risk fines mirroring Marin’s. Businesses could pay up to $5,000 for failing to enforce mask and social distancing rules.

It will not rely on sheriff’s deputies or city police officers. Instead, the county will use staffers in its code enforcement office. The ordinance leaves the level of that enforcement to a city’s discretion.

“I’m interested in seeing if the policies are effective,” Hannigan said.

In Vallejo, economic development director Annette Taylor communicates with any business that has been reported as violating “must-wear-mask” edict and will do spot checks, said Mayor Bob Sampayan.

A second complaint against the business garners a letter from the city attorney’s office.

So far, Sampayan said, “we haven’t needed to take it to the point of issuing a citation.”

Hannigan said enforcement would be difficult with an already-stretched thin police departments “and a very stretched Solano County Public Health office. It would be easier to enforce face coverings in businesses because the businesses are licensed through city’s and they can self regulate customers in their business. Individual face covering enforcement is harder.”

Solano County is following the COVID-19 guidelines from the California Dept. of Public Health which mandates wearing face coverings.

“We have to be reasonable and use common sense,” Sampayan said. “There are times you can’t wear a mask. Say you’re sitting outdoors at a restaurant for dinner. Are you going to be wearing a mask between bites and sips of a drink? That doesn’t make sense. But if you’re standing in a lobby of that restaurant, you should be wearing a mask and do the social distancing.”

Sampayan acknowledged that an elected official can influence adherence to public policy.

“I was chatting with a person on the waterfront the other day with several people around,” Sampayan said. “I had my mask on and one of them looked at me and said, ‘Sorry,’ and put their mask on.”

“For the most part, the majority of the public respects the need and the reasoning behind having to wear a mask,” Sampayan said. “I’m thankful for that. As (Dr. Anthony) Fauci said, “If we were to wear masks we can stop the spread within several months. This is not going to away on its own.”

Sampayan has been confronted by several who believe it’s their right as an American to not wear a face covering in public.

“I’m not going to debate with people. If you don’t want to wear a mask, don’t wear a mask,” Sampayan said. “However, think about the people around you. How many have we seen nationwide adamant that it’s their right to not wear a mask … and the next thing you know, they’ve come down with COVID-19 and they die.”

“We have had more residents speak at our Board meetings who are against wearing face masks,” Hanigan said. “I’m all for making sure everyone has a face covering and leading by example.”

Several sidewalk diners in front of Good Day Cafe in downtown Vallejo offered feedback Friday afternoon on the mask debate. To fine or not to fine?

“I think it depends on the situation,” said Tanya Hill of American Canyon. “I’m sitting here ready to eat, drinking a beverage. Clearly, I can’t wear a mask. Again, it depends on the situation. To just walk up to someone, ‘I’m going to ticket you,’ I don’t think that’s the best use of police.”

Requiring a merchant’s employees to wear masks “I think is a good way to go,” added Hill. “I think as a community we should all be invested to make sure everybody stays safe. One of the things I remember learning in high school civics: My rights end where your rights begin. You have as much right to be free from infection as I do. If I choose not to wear a mask, that hinders your rights. ”

Another diner, “Joe,” said a fine policy for not wearing masks “is good if you can’t social distance.”

Tyler Mitchell, however, disagreed.

“I think it should be left open to the individuals. I think that if you feel like you need masks for your own personal health you should wear one,” Mitchell said. “I don’t think it should be imposed on anyone else.”

Raymond Prather, owner of The Victory Stores downtown, believes that if there is an ordinance in place for individuals, “people should at least get a warning first.”

However, he added, “I don’t think people should be fined.  I think people should just have the sense to wear them.”

#Masks4All, Benicia CA, Coronavirus, Covid 19, Face coverings, Mandatory face coverings

REMINDER: Facemasks are mandatory in Benicia…and statewide!

Benicia order in effect as of June 16, California as of June 18

By Roger Straw, July 10, 2020

Face coverings is NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE – it’s for your safety and mine, and for STOPPING the pandemic.

But I see way too many people in public places not wearing face masks.  Yes, right here in Benicia.

On June 16, the Benicia City Council passed Resolution No. 20-78, A Resolution of The City Council Of The City Of Benicia Requiring the Use of Face Coverings in Indoor and Enclosed Public Spaces.  Two days later, the California Department of Public Health issued its mandatory “Guidance For the Use of Face Coverings.”

Both documents spell out circumstances and situations in which face coverings are required, as well as exceptions to the orders.  Today might be a good time to review both, and be prepared when you go out.

Be aware – as of yesterday, we had 409 positive cases of the virus in Solano County, including 40 here in Benicia.  It’s here among us, and it’s incredibly contagious.

I know… we’re all tired of the social distancing and the masks, but we need to maintain our focus to beat this thing.  Let’s all keep our politics – and our aerosol emissions – to ourselves.

#Masks4All, Coronavirus, Covid 19, Face coverings, Mandatory face coverings

Coronavirus: Here’s who has to wear a mask in California and when

Exceptions include kids under 2 and those exercising outdoors

Vallejo Times-Herald, by Fiona Kelliher, June 19, 2020

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a new order Thursday mandating that Californians wear masks in most public settings as the state sees an uptick in new coronavirus cases and businesses reopen.

The mandate calls for Californians to cover up while waiting in lines or indoors in public places, in various work settings and while in healthcare facilities. Here are the details:

You must wear a mask when …

  • You’re inside any public space or waiting in line to enter one
  • You’re in any healthcare setting, like a hospital, pharmacy, medical clinic, laboratory, physician or dental office, veterinary clinic or blood bank
  • You’re waiting for or riding on public transportation or while in a taxi or ride-sharing vehicle
  • You’re interacting with a member of the public at work, or working in any space visited by the public, even if you’re alone inside the workplace
  • You’re working in a setting where food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution
  • You’re working in — or walking through — common areas like hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking lots
  • You’re in any room or enclosed area where other people, except for members of your own household, are present — and physical distancing is difficult
  • You’re driving or operating any public transportation or paratransit vehicle, taxi, private car service or ride-sharing vehicle and other passengers are present
  • You’re outside in a public space and physical distancing isn’t possible

 You don’t have to wear a mask if …

  • You’re a child under the age of 2
  • You have a medical, mental health, or developmental disability that prevents wearing a mask
  • You’re hard of hearing or communicating with someone hard of hearing who needs to see your face
  • Wearing a face covering would create a risk related to your work — as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines
  • You’re obtaining a service involving the nose or face and need to take off the mask to do so
  • You’re eating at a restaurant, provided you’re at least six feet away from the nearest table
  • You’re swimming, walking, hiking, bicycling, or running outside and able to maintain social distance
  • You’re incarcerated. Prisons and jails will have their own specific guidance on face masks, according to the state
#Masks4All, Coronavirus, Covid 19, Face coverings, Mandatory face coverings, Solano County CA, Youth

Coronavirus live updates: Solano youth infected at much higher percentage than nationally

3 important stories from the SF Chronicle’s Coronavirus Live Updates

A medical worker collects a sample to test for the coronavirus at CityTestSF in San Francisco. People around the world believe they have gotten sick despite testing negative.

San Francisco Chronicle, by Alejandro Serrano , Anna Bauman , Rita Beamish and Brett Simpson, updated June 18, 2020

7:58 p.m. June 17, 2020 – Solano County case spike reflects ‘preliminarily positive’ data, official says: Solano County reporting 105 new confirmed coronavirus cases Wednesday reflects a change in data reporting and a local outbreak among vineyard workers, county public health administrator Jayleen Richards wrote in an email. The new cases marked a 15.2% increase in Solano County’s total. Richards wrote the county has experienced “significant” delays in confirming results from two state-run test sites and has begun considering preliminary positive tests as positive cases in order to begin case investigations. “The data jump should be a one-time event since we started to include the preliminary data today,” Richards wrote. Wednesday’s case total also includes an outbreak among vineyard workers housed in Solano County and working in other counties who were recently tested for the virus, Richards wrote.

12:12 p.m. June 18, 2020 – Californians must wear masks outside home under new state order: People must immediately begin wearing masks outside the home when they cannot safely distance from other people to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, state health officials ordered Thursday, a day after reporting the largest number of new cases in a single day. The Chronicle’s Alexei Koseff reports.

June 18, 2020 1:35 p.m. – Kids and teenagers appear to be less likely to get the coronavirus and get sick than adults: A study recently published in Nature found that those under 20 are half as susceptible to infection as those that age or older, and only one in five between the ages of 10 and 19 show symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts the figure of coronavirus-infected kids younger than 18 at more than 90,000, or around 4% of those with the disease. [BenIndy Editor: Compare at 6.6% in Solano County as of June 17.]  See our detailed FAQ on the coronavirus and children for more.