San Juan County will be requiring residents to wear face masks when in public during the next phase of reopening. | Adobe Stock
San Juan County will be requiring residents to wear face masks when in public during the next phase of reopening. | Adobe Stock
San Juan County is the first in the Pacific Northwest to require people to wear face masks when out in public.
Dr. Frank James, the county’s local health officer, said the mandate is to ensure the archipelago continues to be free of COVID-19 cases, according to KUOW.
“We need to be certain that these people who could be harboring coronavirus have the kind of tools like masks that will help prevent them from spreading it unchecked in our community,” James told KUOW.
Because San Juan County has one of the highest number of elderly residents, James feels it's necessary to safeguard those who belong to the age group considered high risk for the illness.
According to KUOW, the county has accounted for 15 cases and no deaths.
The new mask law is expected to go into effect on June 1, essentially around the same time the county moves into the next stage of reopening. Not wearing a mask would be a minor offense and it will be on local businesses to carry it out.
Alerts Sign-up