Tinley Park Board: Face Coverings Required In Public Starting April 24

Press release from the Village of Tinley Park:

In an effort to protect public health and ensure the safety of essential workers, the Village Board on Tuesday passed a resolution necessitating that all people engaging in activities outside their homes in Tinley Park wear protective face coverings to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This includes all employees and visitors of any grocery store, pharmacy or drug store, convenience store, gas station and other essential businesses.

The resolution also contains other requirements for businesses, such as posting public notices regarding the new resolution, providing face coverings and hand sanitizer to all employees, and ensuring all high-touch surfaces within the business are kept sanitized. Businesses have the right to refuse admission or service to anyone not wearing a face covering.

Please keep in mind that this resolution is intended to protect vulnerable residents and essential staff working retail and other jobs that involve a great deal of personal interaction with the public. Everyone has a right to feel safe and comfortable in public, whether it’s to go to work or to shop for essential supplies. Simply put, wearing face coverings in public will protect the health of our community.

The resolution doesn’t apply to those engaged in outdoor activities such as walking, running, biking or other solitary physical activity; riding in a personal vehicle; those who are alone or with household members in a separate single space; and while drinking or eating. The resolution also makes an exclusion for situations in which wearing face coverings would create a greater health, safety or security risk.Residents can make their own face coverings using materials around the house, provided these homemade masks cover the nose and mouth. Providence Life Services in Tinley Park has provided a step-by-step guide to creating your own cloth mask. Similarly, Good Morning America recently posted a clip showing how to make a simple mask using a bandanna and two rubber bands.

There are many independent groups that have been working tirelessly to make and/or donate face coverings to those who need them. If you have face coverings you’d like to donate, please send an email to COVID19inquiry@TinleyPark.org. While the Village doesn’t have the resources to provide face coverings for everyone, if you are unable to make a face covering on your own, notify the Village at the same email address and every effort will be made to assist in securing one for you.Regardless of whether or not a situation requires face coverings, the public is still strongly encouraged to practice social distancing by keeping at least six feet away from others and not congregating in groups of 10 or more people.

The resolution goes into effect on Friday, April 24 and will last through May 21, or until the repeal of the Gov. Pritzker’s disaster declaration, which was issued on March 9. Read the full resolution for more information.

This press release was produced by the Village of Tinley Park. The views expressed here are the author’s own.