Waukegan Mayor Makes Face Covering Mandatory To Fight Coronavirus

WAUKEGAN, IL — Starting Friday, everyone in Waukegan is required to wear a face covering while working, shopping or riding on public transportation in order to reduce the potential spread of the new coronavirus.

Mayor Sam Cunningham issued an order Tuesday requiring everyone over the age of 2 to wear something covering their nose and mouth. It was his 16th executive order following his declaration of a local emergency last month in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cunningham said he was requiring face coverings in public for the protection of residents and essential workers and called on businesses to help encourage compliance with the order.

"Due to the size of the City of Waukegan, our large population of essential workers, and the significant number of reported cases of COVID-19, we have to take action," Cunningham explained.

The order applies to anyone working or shopping in Waukegan at essential businesses whose employees have contact with the public, including grocery stores, financial institutions, delivery carriers, landscapers, restaurants, hardware stores and governmental functions. It is also applicable in buses, trains, taxis and vehicles hired through app-based networks.

The face-covering mandate does not apply inside personal cars, when outside and at least six feet from any non-household members and when wearing a mask would compromise health, safety or security.

"Appropriate face coverings include non-medical grade masks, homemade masks, scarves, bandanas or handkerchiefs," according to the order. "Medical-grade masks and N95 respirators are not recommended for general public use under this Emergency Order, and should be reserved for use by health care and medical providers and first responders."

Cunningham said the city was working to identify ways to potentially distribute face coverings through local agencies and organizations. City staff encouraged people to use homemade options. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided instructions on how to make simple cloth face coverings.

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Cunningham's face-covering order followed those from mayors and village presidents of Glenview, Skokie, Northbrook, Niles, Morton Grove, Wilmette, Deerfield and Highland Park, the first Lake County town to issue such an order.

While his executive order allows for potential fines, the Waukegan mayor said the order was aimed at increasing compliance with recommendations from health officials rather than punishing people.

"The goal of this order is to educate the public on the public health concern, not to take punitive action," according to Cunningham.

There were nearly 700 confirmed coronavirus cases in Waukegan as of Wednesday, according to the Lake County Health Department.

But ot was not clear how many Waukegan residents have died, since the county health department has so far declined to identify the locations or ages of the 93 residents it says have died from the virus — information that has been released every day by the medical examiner's office in neighboring Cook County. Lake County Coroner Howard Cooper explained his office has not been keeping records of COVID-19 deaths where the cause is determined to be natural.

Waukegan's face-covering order is due to remain in place as long as the city remains in a state of emergency — or unless it is rescinded by the mayor or overruled by the City Council.