City Officials Urge Residents To Wear Face Coverings In Public Spaces

From the City of Appleton:

Mayor Jake Woodford will be issuing a proclamation urging residents to wear face coverings in public spaces when social distancing cannot be maintained today, Tuesday, July 28th, 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to endanger the health of residents in the City of Appleton, and the nation. The increase in activity level in the City of Appleton highlights a need for our residents to do their part in stopping the spread of COVID-19 by a simple and impactful act of wearing a face covering in public spaces. Evidence shows the proper use of a face covering that covers the mouth and nose is a generally safe strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Exceptions to this proclamation may be necessary in certain circumstances for issues of health and safety, many of which are outlined in the document.

“The debate over mask mandates, enforcement, and penalties at the local level has distracted from the most important points on this issue,” stated Mayor Woodford. “Face coverings do make a difference and we have a responsibility to one another to wear them when we can and should, and that a coordinated statewide approach will serve all Wisconsinites better in the long run.”

The City of Appleton continues to encourage the safe practices outlined in the “Five to Live By.”

We can assume that while the number of positive cases continues to rise, there are still more cases in Appleton, which have not been confirmed. Following guidelines from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and CDC will help slow the spread of the virus.

(“Face covering" means a covering of the nose and mouth that is secured to the head or is wrapped around the lower face. A "face covering" can be made of a variety of synthetic or natural fabrics. "Face coverings" may be factory-made, sewn by hand, or improvised from household items, including but not limited to, scarves, bandanas, t-shirts, sweatshirts, or towels.)

This press release was produced by the City of Appleton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.