Costa Mesa requires face coverings for residents and businesses; fines possible but not the 'intent'

A family wears protective masks as a precaution against the coronavirus.

Published April 13, 2020 Updated April 15, 2020 12:13 PM PT

The city of Costa Mesa is making face coverings mandatory as a way to help curtail the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the city announced Monday evening.

City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison, the city’s director of emergency services, issued the emergency regulation.

“We are taking this precaution as the virus continues to spread rapidly in the region and presents an immediate and significant risk to public health and safety,” Farrell Harrison said in a statement. “Our previous actions to close nonessential businesses, close parks and stay at home are all helping to flatten the curve. Requiring the use of facial coverings provides one more tool to help reduce coronavirus infections and save more lives.”

Under the declaration, Costa Mesa residents and visitors must wear face coverings in town when in public for essential purposes such as grocery shopping or going to a doctor’s appointment.

It also requires businesses that are considered essential under state directives, such as grocery stores and restaurants, to require employees to wear face coverings.

Farrell Harrison clarified Tuesday that a face covering is not required for residents walking, biking or running.

She said in a statement that fines may be issued for violations of the order, especially to repeat offenders, but that the hope is residents will voluntarily abide by it.

“The intent of this order is not to issue fines,” she said Tuesday. “The intent is to reduce the spread of the virus that has infected 587,173 Americans and claimed 23,644 lives in the U.S., including 731 lives in California and 19 in Orange County. Remember that every step we take to stop COVID-19 brings us one step closer to normalcy.”

The City Council will consider ratifying the order at its April 21 meeting, Mayor Katrina Foley told City News Service.

According to the city declaration, the mask or covering must be big enough to cover the nose and mouth.

The city of Los Angeles last week ordered customers and workers at essential businesses that are open during the coronavirus pandemic to wear face coverings.

Orange County’s chief health officer, Dr. Nichole Quick, issued a recommendation last week “strongly encouraging” face coverings for workers at essential businesses. But Quick, who has the authority to mandate such action, stopped short of doing so.

Her recommendation was issued two days after the county Board of Supervisors rejected Supervisor Andrew Do’s motion to make face coverings mandatory for at least food industry workers.

Quick said she decided on a recommendation instead of a mandate “based on what we’re seeing numbers-wise. I’m hopeful we’re seeing a flattening of the curve.”

Evidence that there has been a slowing of coronavirus cases in Orange County due to social distancing may be in the fact that the county is not seeing an exponential increase in daily cases, Quick said.

The number of hospitalizations also has remained stable, she said.

If coronavirus cases take off again down the line, Quick would reconsider a mandate for face coverings, she said.

A face covering can be factory-made, folded, sewn or improvised from common household items such as scarves, T-shirts, sweatshirts or towels, Quick said.

“Face coverings are an additional tool that may help protect staff and patrons from COVID-19, but they are not a substitute for proven protective measures like frequent hand washing, keeping your hands away from your face, practicing social distancing and staying home,” she said.

For more information on using face coverings, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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Costa Mesa requires face coverings for residents and businesses; fines possible but not the ‘intent’

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