Face masks are mandatory. Does that mean more people around Modesto are wearing them?
Last Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom declared that face coverings are mandatory in public settings in California, with a few exceptions.
The mandate may be the step that Stanislaus County, as well as a few other counties, needed to kick up the number of people donning masks to help slow the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the county and the state.
Anecdotally, on Tuesday, nearly everyone in shopping centers was wearing masks. That was a marked difference from last week before the mandate, when fewer than 2 in 10 shoppers observed at multiple retail locations in the county were using face coverings.
“I really don’t agree with the mandate” said Jessica Martinez of Modesto, who was entering the Safeway grocery with her 8-year-old daughter, Lillian Weldy. Both were wearing face coverings.
“I just do it,” said Lillian, with the emphasis of the Nike slogan.
Martinez said, “I think people should be more responsible for their own health. It should be a choice, but we do it.”
Safeway had signs at the store’s entrance stating, “PLEASE DO NOT ENTER without a face mask,” which was representative of other chain retailers in complying with the mask mandate. All shoppers who entered the grocer, as well as nearby stores, wore face coverings.
“I strongly support it because it’s preventing the spread of the disease,” said Ana, a European immigrant to Modesto who didn’t want to give her full name.
“It’s better that is uniform. If it’s not mandatory, it creates a division among us,” said Ana, “So, its just better that we all wear them.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends face coverings as one of the three main steps for preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus, along with social distancing of at least 6 feet and frequent hand washing.
Researchers have proven that wearing face coverings decreases the person-to-person spread of the virus, including from asymptomatic individuals.
The mandate for masks may be right on time, if not a bit too late, as the number of COVID-19 cases in the county has been steadily climbing, since relaxing of stay-at-home orders on May 20. The rate of positive tests was 10.5% on June 23, though the capacity in local hospitals is not compromised.
The increasing number of COVID-19 cases has placed Stanislaus County, as well as San Joaquin and nine other counties, on the “watch list” by the California Department of Public Health. If the number of cases continues to climb, the “stay-at-home” directive may be re-implemented, which could lead to a second hit to the local economy.
In press conference on June 22, Gov. Newsom said the state doesn’t want to be punitive about enforcing the mask mandate but will look to local government to drive the enforcement and the “moral persuasion” of individual Californians to protect themselves, their loved ones and the community.
Will improved compliance with the mandatory face coverings in public help fend off a return to “lockdown” of the economy? Compliance for the next 14 days will tell.
This story was produced with financial support from The Stanislaus County Office of Education and the Stanislaus Community Foundation, along with the GroundTruth Project’s Report for America initiative. The Modesto Bee maintains full editorial control of this work.
To help fund The Bee’s children’s health and economic development reporters with Report for America, go to bitly.com/ModbeeRFA
This story was originally published June 24, 2020 at 12:07 PM.
