Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has amended his emergency order to mandate the public and essential workers wear masks when they’re inside businesses or riding public transportation. This goes into effect Friday at 11:59 p.m., and you can technically be fined up to $1,000 for not adhering to the rule. If you choose to walk into an essential business without your nose or mouth covered, the manager of said business has the right to refuse service. Here’s the pertinent portion of the order:
Jenkins’ team had been considering this at least since Tuesday. Travis County also passed a similar measure this week. The covering must at least be cloth, so that’s a homemade face mask, a bandana, a scarf, or a modified “tightly woven fabric” like a T-shirt and certain towels. You can wear the higher duty N-95 masks, as well. Note that all essential workers need to be wearing masks. That includes delivery folks who aren’t always inside. Here’s the county’s language:
You are asked to wear a cloth face covering over your nose and mouth when you must be in public to visit an essential business, such as shopping at the grocery store. Wearing a cloth face covering does not eliminate the need to physically distance yourself from others and to wash your hands frequently.
And here is the CDC’s guide to making your own. Just scroll down.
