Coronavirus: WilCo Urges Residents To Wear Face Coverings

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Williamson County health officials on Monday urged residents to begin using fabric face coverings as a method of blunting the spread of coronavirus.

The guidance comes after Austin and Travis County officials first issued the same guidance on Sunday in adherence to newly issued Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The use of such protective face coverings was initially reserved only for those already sick with respiratory illness, but has since been expanded as aysmpmptomatic people also can potentially spread illness.

The COVID-19 virus that causes the respiratory illness is largely spread by respiratory droplets emitted when sneezing or coughing. Growing evidence of community spread of the illness — as opposed to virus transmission by people traveling abroad — has heightened the need for greater precautions.

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In tandem with the wearing of protective face coverings, people are still urged to practice social or physical distancing. This is done by maintaining at least a six-foot buffer between people. "The CDC emphasized that social distancing remains the best practice to help reduce the spread of COVID-19," Williamson County health officials explained in a press advisory. "However, they are advising people to take the extra safety measure by using cloth face coverings in places where social distancing may be difficult to enforce to help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others."

Related story: Coronavirus: Austin Officials Offer Face Coverings Guidance

This recommendation will help further reduce the spread of COVID-19 between people in close proximity to each other as the virus can be transmitted by people who are not exhibiting symptoms, officials added. But the measure is not for everyone: "Please be advised, children under the age of two, people who have trouble breathing, anyone unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance, should not wear any face coverings," county officials said.

Face coverings are recommended for those visiting grocery stores, convenience stores and pharmacies, officials said, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. “It’s critical that we all follow any guidelines that will result in the preservation of life and that can help us reduce the spread of the virus in the county,” Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said in a prepared statement..

The cloth face coverings recommended for residents to use for protection are made out of common household items or low-cost materials and not surgical masks or N-95 respirators, officials noted. Those items remain critical supplies that must continue to be reserved and used only by healthcare workers and other first responders, as recommended by the current CDC guidance.

To learn how to make your own face covering, visit the CDC website.

In addition, Williamson County has created a Face Mask Task Force comprising individuals who are creating cloth face coverings for medical personnel to use over their N-95 masks to prolong the life of the masks. Anyone willing to make home manufactured cloth face coverings in a package of at least 50 or more can join this special team of people.

County officials ask prospective face coverings makers to include a card with a short description of how the face coverings were made along with your contact name, phone number and email. Masks can be dropped off at the county’s Donation Drop-off locations noted here: http://williamson-county.org/organizations-stepping-up-to-assist-others-in-need. One of the drop-off locations will clean the masks before they are distributed to public safety and medical personnel.