FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. — Frederick County, Maryland will now be requiring those in its county to wear face masks when entering essential businesses, and this includes employees having to also wear masks.
The health order also requires that these retailers establish capacity limits by setting limits on the number of customers in the facility at a given time and the number of individuals in any queue outside the establishment in order to promote social distancing, according to county officials.
“To protect public health, including the safety of our essential workers, I urge all residents to follow the directive of Frederick County Health Officer Barbara Brookmyer to wear a face-covering when you leave your home to buy groceries or go to the pharmacy,” said Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner. “Public health is a community responsibility and it is important for every Frederick County resident to do their part to protect the health of their family, neighbors and community.”
The move by Frederick County comes after Prince George's County and D.C. established regulations that mandate those in its jurisdiction wear face masks when in essential businesses, like grocery stores and pharmacies.
“We are working on many fronts to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Brookmyer. “Face coverings are one more way we can help to protect each other. When people wear a cloth face covering when working or shopping in public, they are helping to contain droplets they may be breathing out, which reduces the risk for the people around them. Additionally, these social distancing measures will help our community maintain the recommended space between individuals, reducing everyone’s risk.”
Frederick County said masks are not advised for children under two years of age, or for people who have difficulty breathing. And the county wants residents to refrain from using masks made for use in health care settings, such as N95 masks, so they can be reserved for health care workers.
CDC offers instructions on how to make face coverings at home with T-shirts or bandannas, as well as information about how to safely remove and clean cloth face coverings.