Face coverings are a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19
As the COVID-19 outbreak has grown into a pandemic, medical professionals have increasingly recommended wearing face masks or coverings to impede the spread of the disease.
The latest science affirms that cloth face coverings are a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19. And a recent poll indicates that the majority of American voters are in favor of face mask mandates.
Taking legislative steps to keep communities safe
Studies show that citizens across the country are increasingly complying and adapting to the use of face masks – and to positive effect.
To reinforce and encourage this helpful behavior, local governments are taking legislative steps. Many, including several of our client communities, are drafting and adopting ordinances that require masks or coverings in certain circumstances.
Examples from the eCode360® Library
If your community is interested in legislating about face masks or coverings, a search of our eCode360 Library will help you see what other communities are already doing. Some examples* include:
Pen Argyl, PA – Declaration of Emergency
City of Frontenac, MO – Declaration of Emergency
Updating municipal codes is vitally important
Municipalities and counties will continue to be on the frontlines of the pandemic for some time. Focusing on the safety of our communities is paramount. To sustain orderly and accessible knowledge of the most current regulations and resolutions, it’s vital to update and maintain municipal and county codes in a timely manner.
We encourage our clients to submit code updates as soon as possible to make sure constituents and local government officials are referencing and working with the most up-to-date resources at all times. Clients can send legislation to [email protected].
Best practices for managing your codification budget
Many of our client communities find it helpful to be on a code update schedule to help manage their expenses throughout the year. Our Client Care team can work with you and explain the options and benefits of scheduled code updates. They can also provide budget guidance for all of your future codification needs, including eCode360 and common code maintenance. Give them a call at 800.836.8834 or send an email to [email protected]. They’d be happy to help or answer any other codification questions you might have.
Resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0714-americans-to-wear-masks.html
https://www.communitymedical.org/CMC/media/coronavirus/Exposure-and-Masking-Infographic_English.pdf
https://morningconsult.com/2020/07/22/face-mask-polling/
https://generalcode1.wpengine.com/library/
* Your Municipal Attorney should be consulted with regard to content, format and the legal requirements of proposed legislation before enactment.
