On Tuesday, in a vote of 4 to 1, the Indian River County Commission voted to extend its mask mandate until Jan. 19, 2021. However, the county opted not to penalize those who violate the order.
The mandatory ordinance requires workers at all businesses open to the public in the county to wear face masks.
Laura Moss, a newly-elected commissioner, sworn in Tuesday, said there had been a “resurgence in COVID cases,” but she didn’t feel the ordinance should be enforced. There have been no citations issued within the county for anyone violating the mask mandate.
The City of Sebastian will be voting today, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020, whether to continue its mask mandate. The meeting will begin at 6:00 pm at City Hall.
Since July, Publix has required face masks to limit the spread of COVID-19. A couple of days later, Walmart made masks mandatory.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone wear masks in public settings when social distancing is impossible, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and gas stations.
“Masks may slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others,” the CDC said.
According to the CDC, masks also provide an extra layer to prevent the respiratory droplets from traveling in the air and onto other people.
