Face Coverings Now Required In Palo Alto

PALO ALTO, CA — Face coverings will be required in public settings in Palo Alto beginning noon Wednesday, following an emergency order issued Tuesday by City Manager Ed Shikada.

At a Monday meeting, the Palo Alto City Council unanimously approved the order, which requires the public to wear face coverings when outside their homes for any kind of permitted activity, like shopping at an essential business or seeking medical care.

Meanwhile, face coverings are encouraged, but not required, for people engaging in outdoor recreation like walking, running, biking or hiking, the city said. Anyone who is taking part in those activities is still required to maintain six feet of separation from other people, to avoid spreading the coronavirus.

The face covering order does not apply to:

• Children under two years old, who could be at risk of suffocation
• People driving alone, or exclusively with other members of their family or household
• A person in a single-room office where other members of the public are not present and do not regularly visit. (The city named construction workers, accountants, and bike repair workers as examples of those who may not need to wear coverings when alone.)

Palo Alto's order goes a step further than Santa Clara County, which recommendedlast month that people wear face coverings while visiting essential businesses.

The city joins Cupertino and Milpitas as the first three cities in the county to make face coverings mandatory.

The public can report violations of the face covering order by calling the Palo Alto Police Department's 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Police will focus on educating the public about the order and asking people to comply voluntarily, while citations will be considered a last resort.

Full coronavirus coverage: Coronavirus In California: What To Know