Masks mandatory by law outside your home in WA

[isobars]

Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health John Wiesman today announced a statewide mandatory face covering order that will take effect Friday, June 26. ... “Until a vaccine or cure is developed, this is going to be one of our best defenses.”

Starting Friday, every Washingtonian* must wear a facial covering when in a public space, as mandated by the public health order signed by Wiesman. This includes both indoor and outdoor public spaces.

The only exceptions include those hard of hearing (e.g., moi), when eating in a restaurant, or when actually maintaining social distancing outdoors.

* I guess residents of other states can go mask-free here.

https://medium.com/@WAStateGov/inslee-announces-statewide-mask-mandate-812c9ba7a92

[kmf]

Here’s what the gov. Actually said...

The statewide mandate — to be formally issued by Wiesman — requires people over the age of 5 to wear face coverings generally while they are in any indoor or outdoor public space.

Masks will not be required outdoors when people can stay more than 6 feet apart from each other, while indoors at home with others, or while alone in a vehicle.

While children under 5 are exempt, the order recommends kids between the ages of 3 and 5 wear facial coverings.

Also exempt from the governor’s order: people who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons, or who are deaf or hard of hearing, specifically when they are communicating with another person.

And the order will recognize times when people can remove their masks, such as when they are eating at a restaurant, or engaged in a recreational activity either alone or with members of their household.

Violations of the statewide order are a misdemeanor, Inslee said, but “we don’t want to have enforcement of this.”

Kmf

[hilton08]

Face Coverings are also required for public indoor spaces in several Oregon counties (including Hood River) starting today. If you are coming to the Gorge, please remember your mask if you plan to visit any of the windsurf/kite shops or grocery stores.

https://www.hoodrivernews.com/news/hood-river-county-approved-for-phase-2-mask-mandate-in-effect-as-of-june-24/article_ad000fd0-b599-11ea-ae2e-af55fecbe827.html

[boggsman1]

[isobars]

Just so you don't have to parse the whole freaking thing (or not), I've added a paragraph at the very end.

Good God, guys. My source is the Wa State white house. They email me on every plea, druther, and mandate even remotely related to CV countermeasures involving the public. You guys have busted my chops for decades about overly long posts, so I condense them when necessary for people who have trouble concentrating for more than the length of a freaking tweet.

You want the whole shebang? Ya got it:

STATE OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
PO Box 47890  Olympia, Washington 98504-7890 Tel: 360-236-4030  711 Washington Relay Service
ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH 20-03
Face Coverings - Statewide
WHEREAS, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has issued Proclamation 20-05, subsequently amended and extended, proclaiming a statewide State of Emergency due to an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States and community spread of COVID-19 in Washington State; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets when infected people, many of whom do not exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, cough, sneeze, or talk, and evidence suggests that wearing a cloth face covering reduces an infected person’s chance of spreading the infection to others and may protect uninfected persons from larger droplets from infected people around them; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Department of Health, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization recommend that, in addition to their recommendations to maintain six feet of physical distance from non-household members and wash hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, people wear cloth face coverings when they are in public settings where they cannot reliably maintain six feet of distance from others at all times, given the substantial increase in the numbers of cases of COVID-19 infection, these precautions must be mandatory; and
WHEREAS, although many Washingtonians already regularly wear face coverings when in public, requiring all Washingtonians to wear cloth face coverings in public will help control and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Washington State; and
WHEREAS, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and its progression in Washington State continue to constitute an emergency threatening the safety of the public health, demanding action by the Secretary of Health, and only a small number of Washington’s local health officers have issued orders requiring the general public in their jurisdictions to wear cloth face coverings in public;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, John Wiesman, Washington State Secretary of Health, as a result of the above-noted situation, and under RCW 43.70.130, RCW 70.05.070, WAC 246-100-036, and any other applicable authority, do hereby order the following:
Every person in Washington State must wear a face covering that covers their nose and mouth when in any indoor or outdoor public setting, including, but not limited to:
• Inside any building, including, but not limited to, any business, that is open to the public;
Page 1

• In healthcare settings, including, but not limited to, a hospital, pharmacy, medical clinic, laboratory, physician’s or dentist’s office, veterinary clinic, or blood bank;
• While in line waiting for or riding on public transportation or paratransit, or while riding in a taxi, private car service, ride-sharing vehicle, or other for hire vehicle; and
• In outdoor public areas, including but not limited to public parks, trails, streets, sidewalks, lines for entry, exit, or service, and recreation areas, when a distance of at least six feet cannot be maintained from any non-household member.
Individuals may remove their face coverings when in public settings under the following circumstances:
• While seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or beverage service, while they are eating or drinking, provided that they are able to maintain a distance of at least six feet from guests seated at other tables;
• While engaged in indoor or outdoor exercise activities, such as walking, hiking, bicycling, or running, provided that a distance of at least six feet is maintained from non-household members, except that face covering requirements for individuals engaged in team sports activities are governed by the requirements issued by the Governor;
• While in an outdoor public area, provided that a distance of at least six feet is maintained from non-household members;
• When any party to a communication is deaf or hard of hearing and not wearing a face covering is essential to communication;
• While obtaining a service that requires temporary removal of the face covering;
• While sleeping;
• When necessary to confirm the individual’s identity; and
• When federal or state law prohibits wearing a face covering or requires the removal of a face
covering.
The following individuals are exempt from the requirement to wear a face covering:
• Children younger than five years old; and
o Children who are younger than two years old should never wear face coverings due to the
risk of suffocation.
o Children who are two, three, or four years old, with the assistance and close supervision
of an adult, are strongly recommended to wear a face covering at all times in settings, like grocery stores or pharmacies, where it is likely that a distance of at least six feet cannot be maintained from non-household members and vulnerable people must go.
• Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face covering. This includes, but is not limited to, persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance.
For purposes of this order, a face covering means a cloth face covering that covers the nose and mouth. It can be:
• A sewn mask secured with ties or straps around the head or behind the ears;
• Multiple layers of fabric tied around the head;
• Made from a variety of materials, such as fleece, cotton, or linen; or
• Factory-made or made from household items.
Page 2

A face covering also includes a mask or covering that provides a higher level of protection than a cloth face covering, such as an N95 mask, though people are generally encouraged to use cloth face coverings to preserve access to these higher grade face coverings for health care and other settings where they are most needed.
Children in childcare facilities and K-12 public and private schools may use face shields as an alternative to a cloth face covering if authorized pursuant to an order of the Governor.
This order does not apply to persons who are incarcerated. Correctional facilities, as part of their Safe Start plans, will have specific guidance on the wearing of face coverings or masks for both incarcerated individuals and staff.
Other agencies and officials have taken or may take action to require the wearing of face coverings in certain settings and jurisdictions and for certain purposes. Every person in Washington State must wear a face covering whenever legally required to do so by this order or by the action of any other agency or official. This order and the actions of other agencies and officials must be followed to the extent they are not in conflict.
If this order and the action of any other agency or official are in conflict, the more protective requirement must be followed, unless prohibited by a federal or state statute or rule. For example, this order allows individuals to remove their face coverings in outdoor public settings if they are able to maintain a distance of six feet from non-household members. If a local health officer issues an order requiring people to wear a face covering in outdoor public settings at all times, without an exception for physical distancing, then the local health officer’s order must be followed because it is more protective than this order.
Any face covering requirement imposed pursuant to an order of the Governor must be followed.
This order shall take effect on June 26, 2020, and remain in effect until rescinded or superseded by a subsequent order of the Secretary of Health or until the Governor issues a proclamation declaring the termination of the State of Emergency declared by Proclamation 20-05, as amended and extended by subsequent amendatory proclamations, whichever is earlier.
Members of the public are required by law to comply with this order, and violators may be subject to criminal penalties pursuant to RCW 43.70.130(7), RCW 70.05.120(4), and WAC 246- 100-070(3).
Signed this 24th day of June, 2020.
John Wiesman, DrPH, MPH Secretary of Health

AANNND

Inslee announces statewide mask mandate
Beginning June 26, every Washingtonian in an indoor public space, or in an outside public space when unable to physically distance from others, will be legally required to wear a face covering
WA Governor’s Office
WA Governor’s Office
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Jun 23 · 4 min read



Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health John Wiesman today announced a statewide mandatory face covering order that will take effect Friday, June 26.

The order comes after a Saturday announcement of a mandatory mask proclamation for Yakima County starting this week. The order was in response to reports of increasing case counts and a potential overwhelming of the county’s health care system.
Residents of Yakima County must wear face coverings in public and businesses must require customers and clients to wear masks to operate, and may not serve anyone who enters their business without a face covering, with some limited exceptions.
After subsequent reports of cases increasing in additional counties, the governor and Wiesman extended the face covering requirement today to include the entire state of Washington.
“As necessary economic activity increases and more people are out in their communities, it is imperative that we adopt further measures to protect all of us,” Inslee said during a press conference Tuesday. “Until a vaccine or cure is developed, this is going to be one of our best defenses.”
Starting Friday, every Washingtonian must wear a facial covering when in a public space, as mandated by the public health order signed by Wiesman. This includes both indoor and outdoor public spaces.
“The science is clear that when we use face coverings, we limit the spread of droplets being passed on to others when we talk, cough or sneeze. While some of us are wearing face coverings in public, we must increase usage to best control the virus. Washington’s strategy to restart the economy and get people back to work will only be successful if, together, we act safely and follow health recommendations,” Wiesman said.
Wearing a mask is one of the most effective things people can do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Recent models suggest that the incidence of COVID-19 cases can be reduced if the majority of the population are wearing masks. This correlation has been seen in other countries that have been able to lower the curve through mask usage.

As with previous orders, there will be specific exemptions for those who may be adversely impacted by wearing a facial covering. These exemptions include those with certain medical conditions and children under the age of two, who should not wear a face covering. Children aged two, three and four are encouraged, but not required, to wear a face covering in public with the assistance and supervision of an adult.
In addition, individuals may remove face coverings under certain circumstances, including while eating or drinking at a restaurant; while communicating with a person who is Deaf or hard of hearing; and while outdoors in public areas, provided that a distance of six feet is maintained from people who are not members of their household.

The order is in addition to the other guidelines counties must follow in each phase of reopening. Physical distancing, appropriate and regular sanitation actions and other requirements are still expected from Washingtonians and businesses. Businesses are already required to adopt face coverings or more protective requirements for their employees. In cases where local officials or other agencies have also adopted face covering requirements, the more protective requirement must be followed.
Face coverings will help protect the health of Washingtonians and our communities, including essential workers and those returning to the workforce as counties advance phases. Such a requirement will be much more effective when the majority of the population wears masks.
“Essential workers face higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 in order to serve our communities. Many are already required to wear masks at work for 8 to 12 hours or longer, and we do that to help keep everyone safe. We’re very glad the public is joining in and we appreciate the governor’s proclamation, because face coverings are most effective when we’re all wearing them to protect each other. The safety of workers and our entire community, and the stability of our health care system, is dependent on customers and patients joining in a shared effort to prevent transmission and keep bending the curve. To all our customers and patients: We care for you and your family. When you come into a store, pharmacy or clinic wearing a face covering, we see you caring about us and our families. We know we can protect each other,” said Faye Guenther, president of UFCW21.
As more counties progress through the phased approach to re-opening, it’s even more important to follow the order and phase guidelines in order to help reopen the economy.
“Masking up is not just something that saves lives, it can save economies,” Inslee said. “If we don’t want to turn the dial back on phases in counties, we need every Washingtonian to join us in this effort.”
Resources:
Mask public health order by DOH Secretary Wiesman
Proclamation by Gov. Inslee on Yakima face masks

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WA Governor’s Office
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News and updates from Gov. Jay Inslee and his administration.
Washington State Governor's Office
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News and updates from Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee and his administration.

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ON THE OTHER HAND, the newspaper subsequently reported today that every WA county and state police and enforcement force has formally announced that, because they're such nice guys, they will won't enforce the law. Their plan is to ignore the law and, instead, merely ask offenders to cooperate and give them a tutorial on the perils of Covid 19 ... much like many people want illegal border crossings and deadly street violence "handled". Like THAT works. And consider how toothless it makes the government look. (Besides, how many sailors have you seen taking exposure risks on the shores of the Columbia? Even those who are 6 feet apart are ignoring its spread by wind.