Masks Mandated In Southampton Village Supermarkets, Food Shops

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Supermarket shoppers in Southampton Village are now mandated to wear masks or face coverings in the fight against the new coronavirus.

Southampton Village Mayor Jesse Warren issued an executive order mandating masks
or face covers be worn at village supermarkets, grocery stores and all venues that engage in food sales or distribution — and officials plan to strictly enforce the mandate, he said.

The executive order was issued through the village's state of emergency declaration and comes shortly after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Village of Southampton issued guidance stating that everyone should wear masks or face covers in public places.

The executive order will go into effect at midnight on Friday.

“This executive order will protect the health and safety of our residents as well as our work force in these respective businesses. Face covers blunt the airborne projection of COVID-19, and this executive order will work to flatten our curve and reduce the spread of the coronavirus. We are happy to set the example for other communities in this specific mandate," he said.

Others in the Southampton healthcare community applauded the order. “This is absolutely what our village needs, and will help us further flatten our curve,” said Southampton infectious disease specialist Dr. Rajeev Fernando.

Dr. Peter Michalos, founder of the Hamptons Health Society, added that the measure "mirrors what was done most effectively around the globe, such as in South Korea and the Czech Republic — both countries had some of the lowest infection rates and deaths.”

Residents who need free masks for grocery shopping can email mayorsoffice@southamptonvillage.org.

Warren said he has worked closely with Dr. Michalos to procure 3-ply surgical masks for village residents, a week after he and the Hamptons Health Society raised over $300,000 in 72 hours to donate ventilators, oxygen helmets, N95 Masks and other personal protective equipment to Southampton Hospital.

Directions on how to make a face covering or a mask can be found locally on the Rogers Memorial Library Instagram @rogersmemoriallibrary and the mayor’s personal instagram @mayorwarren, as well as on the CDC website with instruction from the U.S. Surgeon General.