City Of Boulder Issues Mask Mandate For Customers, Employees

BOULDER, CO — Boulder City Council approved an emergency order Tuesday that requires everyone to wear a mask inside local businesses. The mandate, which took effect immediately, does not require medical grade masks — they can be scarves, bandanas or any other homemade mask that covers the nose and mouth, officials said.

The city is not distributing masks to community members, as "there are many options for individuals to repurpose cloths or to make a personalized face covering," officials said. City mask resources have been allocated to public safety staff who are likely to encounter people who are infected with the virus.

>> Learn how to make your own mask through the Colorado Mask Project

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City of Boulder Emergency Order 2020-15 states “that the operation of critical businesses without requiring all present to wear face mask presents an imminent threat to life, health, safety and welfare of persons in our community. Accordingly, effective immediately no person shall operate any public accommodation, unless all persons therein including, employees, vendors and customers are required to wear non-medical face coverings as required by Public Health Order 20-26. Provided, however, that employees who do not come into contact with the public are not required to wear such face coverings; No person shall enter or remain in any public accommodation without wearing a non-medical face covering.”

The city offered the following guidelines for mask making:

1. Build a mask that tightly encloses the area around the nose and mouth, from the bridge of the nose down to the chin and extending onto the cheek beyond the corners of the mouth, so no gaps occur when talking or moving.
2. Use mask material that is tightly woven but breathable. Possibly double layer the fabric. Masks must be made from washable material such as fabric. Choose a fabric that can handle high temperatures and bleach without shrinking or otherwise deforming.
3. The mask should be tolerant of expected amounts of moisture from breathing.
4. Suggested materials: outer layer tea cloth, inner layer of a microfleece to wick away moisture, and an inner tea cloth layer. Use an accordion fold to mimic a hospital mask as much as possible and use a fat woven shoelace type material to bind the sides (such as quilt binding). For straps, use elastic straps that loop behind the ears.

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