This comes after President Trump's announcement yesterday that he believes wearing a mask is the patriotic thing to do (though he mentioned that he probably won't wear one...)
My last coronavirus update about ways to help slow the spread of Covid-19 was on April 3, 2020, so a few months have passed - and what a few months it's been!
The Current Ohio Face Mask Order
According to a news release from ABC6:
"Under the order, masks must be worn at all times when:
- At an indoor location that is not a residence.
- Outdoors, when unable to maintain 6 feet of social distancing.
- When waiting for riding, driving, or operating public transportation.
DeWine said the order only requires those 10 and older to wear and mask. The order also includes exceptions for people who do not need to wear a mask:
- Those with a medical condition or disability or those communicating with someone with a disability.
- Those who are actively exercising or playing sports.
- Those who are officiants at religious services.
- Those who are actively involved in public safety.
- Those who are actively eating or drinking."
How Much Can Refusing to Wear a Mask in Public Cost YOU?
The potential fine for not wearing a mask in Ohio is $750.
While it's currently unknown if the mandate will be enforced locally, it's noteworthy that it creates an easy option for municipalities, such as Galion, to increase revenue - which may be sadly needed due to reductions in income taxes due to Covid-19 shutdowns.
Face Masks: Dividing the Country?
While the number of coronavirus cases in Galion and surrounding Crawford County, Ohio has remained low when compared to other parts of the state and country, the polarization over the existence of the virus and the topic of wearing a mask to protect yourself and others has been immense.
Instead of being treated as an opportunity to protect others and our families, it has developed into a mainly Republican vs Democrat issue - with many Republicans declaring Covid-19 a hoax and refusing to wear masks while many Democrats are following the science and wearing a mask to help prevent the spread of a disease that has already killed over 144,000 Americans, as of today.
The Role of Panic Buying in the Mask Debate
Another part of the divide began in the early days of coronavirus being announced in the US, when people were hoarding toilet paper, food, cleaning supplies, and anything else they could get in the mad rush on the stores.
In an effort to keep individuals from buying up all the PPE (personal protective equipment), such as face masks, the government announced that face masks wouldn't help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Early Indicators That Cloth Facemasks Are Effective Against Covid
One telling sign about the effectiveness of cloth face masks, early on, that cloth face masks are effective in fighting the spread of Covid-19 is the fact that many hospitals and nursing homes were requesting people in the community to make and donate face masks at home.
These medical facilities obviously wouldn't have been requesting homemade face masks if they didn't offer some protection to workers and patients.
Links to Official Information About Covid-19 and Face Masks
The information about the effectiveness of wearing facemasks to stop the spread of disease, for both the wearer and others nearby, was, however, available online through FDA documents the entire time and has been recently updated here.
The CDC has since changed that stance officially to let people know that cloth facemasks do slow and stop the spread of this virus.
The Galion City Schools are announcing an update about providing face shields, and I wanted to share a link to that information, too.
Thanks for visiting Galionite today, and I hope you found this Ohio Coronavirus and face mask mandate information helpful. Be sure to visit us on Facebook or bookmark this site so you can easily return for frequent updates about things that are going on in Galion and the surrounding area.
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