Mask mandate goes into effect on Friday

Mask mandate goes into effect on Friday

TOMORROW.

OFFICIALS SAY THEMASKSDISTANCING --- ARE THE BESTDEFENSE IN SLOWING THE SPREADOF COVID-19.

IN BALTIMORE CITYPOSITIVE CASES ARE ON THERISE.

WMAR 2 NEWSDETLING TALKED WITH CITYOFFICIALS ABOUT THIS TOUGHESTANCE.(DAVE) THE CITY COULD FINE YOU5- THOUSAND DOLLARS IF YOURFOUND NOT WEARING A MASKIT SEEMS THE CITY DOESNT WANTTO GO THAT ROUTE.

INSTEAD IT'SHOPING PEOPLE DO THE RIGHTTHING DURING THE PANDEMIC.4:35-52 DR. LETITIA DZIRASA/BALTIMORE CITY HEALTHCOMMISSIONER: According tostate data, as of July 28 thecities positivity rate was 6.2percent.

This is 1.4percentage points than thestate at 4.8 percent.

In otherwords Baltimore citiespositivity rate is 29% higherthan the overall Marylanpositivity rate.

DURING APRESS CONFERENCE THURSDAYBALTIMORE HEALTH COMMISSIONERDr. Letitia Dzirasa CALLED THECITYALARMING.

THE BEST DEFENSE ATCURBING THOSE NUMBERSACCORDING TO THE CITY ANDSTATEPRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING.COME TOMORROW FACEMASKS WILLBE REQUIRED STATEWIDE FORANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 5.

THEYMUST BE WORN in all indoorpublic buildings, includingrestaurants, houses ofworship, gyms, casinos, storesand office buildings.43:10-43:15 DR. LETITIADZIRASA/ BALTIMORE CITY HEALTHCOMMISSIONER: Facemasks addthat additional layer ofprotection when socialdistancing is impossible.DESPITE THE REQUEST THERE AREPLENTY OF PEOPLE NOT WEARINGMASKS WHEN OUT IN PUBLICSPACES.

RIGHT NOW BALTIMORECITY IS NOT ENFORCING THE MASKMANDATE.

TECHNICALLY YOU COULDBE FINED 5- THOUSAND DOLLARSFOR NOT WEARING A MASK BUT ACITY SPOKESPERSON SAID THEYDONT WANT TO FINE CITIZENSDURING A PANDEMICWITH SO MANY BALTIMORIANALREADY OUT OF WORK.

43:15-24DR. LETITIA DZIRASA/ BALTIMORECITY HEALTH COMMISSIONER: Yes,weresponsible Stuart.

I think weall have a responsibility toeveryone in our community tomake every effort to stop thespread of Covid.

WITH COVID-19CASES INCREASING IN THE CITYWMAR 2 NEWS ASKED THE HEATHCOMMISSIONER IF SHETHE MAYOR TO SHUT DOWNRESTAURANTS AND TIGHTENRESTRICTIONS CITYWIDE .

DR.Dzirasa SAID RIGHT NOW THERENO NEED BUT SHOULD DATASUGGEST OTHERWISETHE CALL.

44:46-45:01 DR.LETITIA DZIRASA/ BALTIMORECITY HEALTH COMMISSIONER: Froma health perspective, I thinkwe definitely need to heavilyconsider it.

The mayor andcity leadership team has toconsider multiple factors butcertainly as a public officialmy recommendation would be tolook at all of therestrictions we can put inplace to kind of get as backto where we were before.(DAVE) AS FOR THAT steep FINEFOR NOT WEARING A MASKSPOKESPERSON SAYS CITY COUNCILIS LOOKING AT REDUCING THEFINE.

RIGHT NOW OTHER THAN ACITY RESTAURANT OR BUSINESSBEING SHUT DOWN FOR NOTFOLLOWING COVID-19 guidelines,no indivual has been singledout.

IN BALTIMORE, DAVEDETLING, WMAR 2 NEWS.LET'S CHECK IN