A jogger wears a mask as he runs along Bridgeway in Sausalito on Thursday, April 16, 2020. Although a new order does not require a face covering for people exercising outdoors, the county does encourage people to carry a mask with them and continue to practice social distancing. Masks are required to be worn when interacting with people outside one's own household under the order. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal)

Seniors wait in line for their turn to get into a Trader Joe's store in San Rafael on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. Trader Joe's, like other stores including Safeway, Target and Walmart, are dedicating time for only senior shoppers during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)



Marin County is joining a regional public health effort in requiring that residents wear face coverings in situations where the coronavirus could spread.

Uniting with San Francisco and Contra Costa County, county public health officials issued the order Friday mandating face coverings, such as a mask or bandana, in public for those over the age 12 starting at noon Wednesday.

The new order comes just days after Marin public health officials indicated that stay-at-home orders will extend beyond May 3 with some restrictions lifted. Dr. Matt Willis said the mask requirement is meant to complement the shelter rules.

“We see it as potentially enabling other changes to some of the more strict elements to the shelter-in-place order,” he said. “Unfortunately, we are far from being out of the woods and people should not be falsely reassured by the success we have had so far. The virus is still with us.”

County officials plan to make announcements to changes to the shelter order within two weeks. The requirement to wear a face-covering has no expiration date, Willis said.

“I think we did really manage people’s expectations that we will start rolling back restrictions slowly and safely,” he said. “No one is talking about simply lifting the order completely (on May 3). That would be disastrous.”

The new order states face coverings are required for those over 12 when inside public spaces or waiting in line to enter public spaces; seeking health care; waiting for or while on mass transit; in common areas of buildings, such as elevators and hallways and for workers at businesses where the public is present or likely to be present.

Food handlers, drivers and operators of public transit are also required to wear coverings. Employers may also refuse admission or services to customers who are in violation of the order, Willis said.

Residents exercising outdoors are not required to wear a mask, but Willis said those people should carry one.

The shelter-in-place order, which Marin County enacted March 17 in coordination with several Bay Area jurisdictions, was initially announced as a three-week mandate before it was extended through May 3. The sweeping restrictions on everyday life have been successful in curbing the spread of the coronavirus, Willis said.

Because of asymptomatic carriers of the virus, which has an incubation period of 2-14 days, symptoms alone aren’t enough to identify everybody who is contagious. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as local health officials, have said any facial covering is enough to prevent the spread of the droplets that carry the virus.

Before Friday, only two communities in the Bay Area had issued a mask order. Sonoma County on Monday announced a similar order that took effect Friday. On Thursday, the city of Fremont began requiring customers and employees inside an essential business to cover their faces.

None of the local orders require medical-grade masks, such as surgical or N95 masks.

“A simple facial covering with cloth will effectively reduce the spreading of droplets in the environment, which is the main way COVID-19 is spread,” said Willis, who recently recovered from the virus.

He said the order “amplifies the existing recommendation” from all local officials and the CDC.

The Golden Gate Bridge district, which operates Golden Gate Ferry and Golden Gate Transit, announced Friday that passengers will be expected to wear face coverings.

Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, a district spokesman, said transit and ferry staff may deny boarding passengers who are not in compliance.

“The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority,” he said. “During this public health emergency, we’re asking all of our passengers to follow official public health guidance and wear masks while taking transit and out in public. Wearing a mask on the bus and ferry is the right thing to do.”

Marin County sheriff’s Sgt. Brenton Schneider said law enforcement agencies will take a similar approach to this new order as it did when the stay-at-home rule went into effect March 17. He said the sheriff’s office will continue to educate the public through press releases and social media.

“We will be looking to educate the public and seek voluntary compliance,” he said. “If we do not get voluntary compliance, violation of or failure to comply with the order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.”

Violators could face fines ranging from $50 to $1,000, Schneider said.

More information is at MarinHHS.org/coronavirus.

The Bay Area News Group contributed to this report.