Face Coverings May Be Required In Montgomery County: Coronavirus

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County lawmakers are considering a requirement that employees and customers of essential businesses wear face masks to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.

The county council is scheduled to introduce and vote on the regulation on Tuesday, April 14. If passed, the measure would take effect in two phases.

The first phase would kick off Thursday, April 16 and require essential businesses — such as grocery and liquor stores — to provide face coverings for employees. The second phase would begin Thursday, April 23 and require customers to wear face coverings when visiting essential businesses.

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Councilmembers Hans Riemer and Gabe Albornoz, both Democrats, are the lead sponsors of this regulation.

"Workers at grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores and other essential businesses are putting their lives at risk to keep us all fed and cared for during this emergency," said Riemer. "We must do everything we can to protect them. Combined with keeping our distance, staying home as much as possible, and washing our hands, wearing a mask helps protect both the wearer and those around them."

This regulation follows the CDC's advising that people wear cloth face coverings in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

Cloth face coverings are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators, the CDC says. Those critical supplies are reserved for first responders and other frontline health care workers.

Per CDC guidelines, cloth face coverings should:

• Fit snugly, but comfortably, against the side of the face
• Be secured with ear loops or ties
• Have multiple layers of fabric
• Allow for breathing without restriction
• Be able to get laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

"We have a chance to significantly reduce the spread of Covid-19 and save lives by requiring face masks in public," Albornoz said. "This virus is a stealthy adversary, being passed by people who have no symptoms to those around them. Covering our faces in public is just good common sense."

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