VA Residents Should Wear Face Masks: Gov. Northam, CDC
RICHMOND, VA — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Friday urged all residents to wear a cloth mask if they must leave their home. The measure is recommended as the state confirmed 2,012 cases of the new coronavirus and 46 deaths.
The governor issued a state-at-home order Monday for residents to help contain the coronavirus outbreak. The order went into effect Monday and lasts until June 10. Local police will break up gatherings of 1o or more people, and residents are asked to contact the police if they see stores or other establishments not enforcing social distancing or limiting their customer counts to 10 or fewer people.
In light of the state's prohibition of wearing masks law, Northam said Friday that "no law enforcement will be bothering anybody because they have a covering on their face."
The Commonwealth's mask law specifies it doesn't apply to those "wearing protective masks which are deemed necessary for the physical safety of the wearer or other persons."
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Northam said the availability of N95 masks should be reserved for first responders, health-care providers and workers at facilities like nursing homes. However, he encourages individuals to cover their faces when outside their homes for essential tasks, particularly around other people.
"I think it would not only protect them but ...others around them, so I would encourage that to happen," said Northam.
There are numerous online tutorials for making face masks on YouTube. Online retailers including Etsy, are currently selling the cloth masks, but shipping times vary.
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President Donald Trump said Friday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends all Americans wear nonmedical-grade face coverings when in public to help prevent transmission of the new coronavirus.
Trump said the guidelines are voluntary and stressed that medical masks and respirators should be reserved for health care workers.
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— This story includes reporting by Patch Editor Emily Leayman.
This article originally appeared on the Old Town Alexandria Patch
