County Orders Essential Workers Dealing With Public To Wear Face Covers

Speaker 1: 00:00 The focus of governor Newsome's coronavirus update today was to announce expanded resources for the state's homeless, including securing 7,000 hotel rooms across the state. Speaker 2: 00:11 What we want to do is relieve the stress in our shelter system, uh, so we can separate individuals, uh, and ultimately again relieve the impact and our medical care delivery system if left unaddressed. Uh, we allow our most vulnerable residents in the state of California to be exposed to this virus. Speaker 1: 00:31 The governor said he expects some of the latest homeless resources to extend even after the Cove had 19. Crisis is over. San Diego County sheriff. Bill Gore said yesterday that the time for voluntary compliance is over starting tomorrow. Employees of gas stations, pharmacies, grocery convenience stores and restaurants must wear masks or face coverings while at work. Joining us with more on the county's coven crackdown is KPBS reporter John Carroll and John. Welcome. Thank you. Maureen. What reason is the County giving for these new orders? Speaker 3: 01:06 They are saying that it is just an increased step in helping people prevent either transmitting the virus or getting it. Uh, they made very clear yesterday, a supervisor Fletcher when he was talking about it, that it is additive. Uh, it is not in place of physical distancing or all the other things, hand washing that we do. Um, but you know, it's sort of characteristic of this entire thing where it's been kind of a rolling series of measures and uh, adding the facial covering is just the latest one. Speaker 1: 01:39 And what's the penalty for noncompliance? Speaker 3: 01:41 Well, sheriff Gore was quite clear about that. Uh, it's six months in jail or a fine not to exceed $1,000. So they're getting serious about it. He even said yesterday that the time for non, you know, for voluntary compliance is over. Speaker 1: 01:57 Now, will essential businesses be required to provide their employees with these face masks? Speaker 3: 02:03 Yes. They are required to, uh, give those face masks to their employees? Correct. Speaker 1: 02:08 Okay. Now talk to us if you can, about how the national advice around facemasks has changed recently. Speaker 3: 02:15 Well, if you'll recall, Maureen, uh, when this first started becoming national news that was talked about and public health officials were saying, no need to wear those, um, you know, it's not gonna prevent it anyway. That has started to change, started to morph as we've gotten further into this pandemic to where they're now saying, well, actually it can be useful. Uh, it is an additive measure doesn't take the place of anything you still have to do. She'll social distancing, hand-washing, et cetera. But I think that they've just gotten to the point where they are saying, look, anything we can do to make it a little better, a little less easy to transmit or get the virus is worth doing. But that's been a big change. You're right. The, uh, initial advice from, uh, like all the world health organization folks and CDC was, yeah, they're not, uh, they're not necessary for the general public. And they were even saying more precisely that the general public should not be wearing them. So we've, we've come away as on that. Speaker 1: 03:24 And now, what about everyone else who doesn't work in an essential whose store, like a grocery store or a pharmacy? Just you know, regular San Diego. Do we have to wear masks or face coverings when we go out? Speaker 3: 03:38 We don't have to, but they are strongly encouraging it. Um, Dr. McDonald, uh, the county's chief medical officers said, uh, that when you leave your place, cover your face. So you know, it's the strongest possible recommendation they can make without crossing into mink making it mandatory. Speaker 1: 03:59 Is there a concern that this guidance on facial coverings, this order really for, for some people will impact the supply of masks for healthcare workers? Speaker 3: 04:09 Well, supervisor Fletcher also was very clear about that. He said that when we're talking about people wearing facial coverings, uh, for the general public, we're talking more about a bandanas or a scarf or if you have your, um, cloth mask, uh, we are not talking about in 95 masks, which are the ones that first responders, doctors, nurses, et cetera, need. And he was very clear about that. We are to not use those masks. Those masks if you have them. They have asked you to donate them to local hospitals and healthcare facilities. Speaker 1: 04:46 So once again, the suggested types of face coverings for civilians in San Diego is a bandana, Speaker 3: 04:53 bandana. And then there's this thing called a Gator, which I've just now become familiar with, which is a kind of facial coverage. And you might typically see skiers wearing on the slopes, um, am scarf. Uh, that's, and then you'll see these, uh, cloth masks that people are starting to make with the elastic bands. That's what they're talking about. Speaker 1: 05:16 Okay. When you leave your place, cover your face. I've been speaking with KPBS reporter John Carol. John. Thank you. Speaker 3: 05:23 Thank you, Maureen. Speaker 1: 05:24 If you see noncompliance of these new public health orders in an essential store, County officials are asking that you let them know by calling two, one one or visiting two one one San diego.org.