HOUSTON – Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo officially announced that she will require county residents to wear masks or face-covering in public.
Hidalgo’s order will go into effect on April 27 and will last for 30 days. Children under 10 will be exempt from the order.
- Crossed 5,000 cases for all of Harris County/City: 41 new cases and 1 new death for Harris County outside of Houston. 27 new cases for Houston, no new deaths.
- “If we get cocky or sloppy, we get right back to where we started and all the sacrifices that we have been making will be in vain.”
- Signing an order requiring people to wear some form of face covering.
- Lastest research says even if you are not symptomatic, you can be carrying the virus. Face masks protect us from that transmission
- Anyone 10 years or older should wear a face covering that covers your nose and mouth. Order will make exceptions for people with illnesses and disabilities. Exceptions will also include driving, eating and people exercising alone.
- We are not asking people to wear a medical mask. Everyone has materials at home that you can use to make a mask – bandana, old t-shirt
- Instructions on readyharris.org if you wish to make your own mask.
- “I know this takes some getting used to, but these are small but powerful actions …we have made too much progress to backtrack now.”
- We want to get to the point where we have masks or covering to distribute. Turner will be announcing a plan to distribute 70,000 masks to the vulnerable community on Thursday.
- This order is applicable when you are outside your home and when you are not with people in your home.
- There is a $1,000 fine associated with the order. Wanted to make it enforceable by law.
