Molly Smith/El Paso Times

People older than 2 are now required to wear face coverings that cover their mouth and nose when outside their homes, El Paso Mayor Dee Margo and County Judge Ricardo Samaniego announced Thursday evening at a joint online news conference.

The restriction went into effect at 11:59 p.m. Thursday. It is the latest amendment to the local stay-at-home order, which remains in effect to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The county reported a total 674 positive COVID-19 cases as of Thursday, an increase of 29 cases from Wednesday. Ten people have died from the virus, and 33 patients are currently hospitalized, 21 of whom are in intensive care.

The mayor said 7,078 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in El Paso.

Officials stressed that face coverings don't have to be masks, but can be a bandanna, scarf or other cloth covering. Surgical masks should be reserved for medical personnel, they said.

The mayor said the majority of the emails and phone calls he has received in recent weeks have been from people expressing discomfort at seeing employees at essential businesses not wearing face coverings or masks.

"We hope there's enough peer pressure for people to understand that you need to wear a face covering," he said.

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The use of face coverings doesn't preclude obeying social distancing guidelines and putting at least 6 feet of space between yourself and others when in public places, Samaniego said. Social distancing and frequent hand-washing are the most important things the community can do to prevent coronavirus transmission, he said.

Face covering exceptions

The face covering mandate does not apply to people under the age of 2 years old, a news release from the county judge's office said. The order also does not apply when alone or with household members in a single space, whether that's inside or outside; when engaged in outdoor activities; or if wearing a face covering poses a greater mental or physical risk, the release read.

Local officials also are easing some of the restrictions on the use of walking paths and trails within city parks. Gathering in groups is not allowed and the rest of the parks, like grassy areas and playgrounds, still are closed.

Because Franklin Mountains State Park remains closed, any hiking paths leading to that park will stay closed, Margo said.

The mayor and county judge said they were discussing whether to allow golf courses to reopen, as some cities in Texas have done.

El Paso retailers can begin curbside pickup as of Friday

El Paso businesses that were considered nonessential are allowed to reopen Friday for "retail-to-go," per an April 17 directive of Gov. Greg Abbott. Businesses can offer curbside pickup, or delivery by mail or to a customer's doorstep. Customers cannot enter the business.

Employees must wear masks, both inside and outside the business, and must stay 6 feet apart, according to the governor's guidelines. Businesses are also required to screen employees for COVID-19 and train employees in proper hygiene and disinfection practices.

“A lot of businesses are waiting to see what happens” before getting ready to reopen, even partially through retail-to-go, Cindy Ramos-Davidson, CEO of the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said Wednesday.

The Hispanic Chamber plans to have a webinar soon on how businesses can operate under the retail directive.

Ramos-Davidson is one of the many members of Margo’s recently announced Economic Recovery Task Force, which is chaired by Rick Francis, the chairman and CEO of WestStar Bank in El Paso.

Blanca Butauski, owner of La Casita Unique Home Décor, a gift shop at 5024 Doniphan Drive in West El Paso that sells handmade items from Mexico, said she’d try retail-to-go to get her closed store back in business.

“My business was built with a lot of effort. And, of course, I don’t want to lose it. I will do the internet, grab-and-go, or whatever it takes. I will go with the flow,” Butauski said.

Butauski said she’d need a few days to get ready to operate again, and she’d have to do it by herself because she laid off her two employees after the store closed due to coronavirus restrictions.

Abbott will announce additional openings of businesses Monday that will go in effect May 4.

A protest demanding a swift reopening of the Texas economy is planned for Saturday in front of the El Paso County Courthouse. The mayor said protesters must abide by social distancing and gathering guidelines in the emergency directive.

All public and private gatherings of any number of people outside or inside a single household or dwelling unit remain prohibited, the city said in a news release.

"I realize that the impact on our economy is just as devastating as the disease itself is on our public health," Margo said. "And we've got to find that balance and we've got to get back as soon as we can.

"But the only way we're going to get back to any semblance of normal ... is for people to abide by the social distancing, wearing face masks, washing your hands and doing the basic things that across the world everyone has agreed will suppress the spread of this virus."

Staff writer Vic Kolenc contributed to this report.

Molly Smith may be reached at 915-546-6413; mksmith@elpasotimes.com; @smithmollyk on Twitter.