With cases of COVID-19 moving up a bit this week, and Gov. Charlie Baker declaring Everett a high-risk community, Mayor Carlo DeMaria issued an Executive Order taking effect Monday requiring masks to be worn in all public places for anyone over age 2.
The order went into effect on Monday, Aug. 10, and indicated a facial coverings were mandatory for all public places until further notice. He said the reason was that cases were on the rise, and they were traced back to large gatherings held recently.
“The health, safety, and wellbeing of those who reside in the City of Everett has always been and will remain to be paramount under my Administration,” he said. “While the mask order will not be in effect forever, we have seen a recent uptick in our cases that have been traced back to large gatherings of people in outdoor spaces. I’m hopeful that the implementation of this order will drive our numbers back down to where they were a month ago. We can only be successful in this endeavor if we work as a community and all make the effort. The intent is not to give out fines, but rather have those gathering in large groups wear face coverings to stop the spread.”
The order indicated that the mayor had instructed the Everett Police, the Health Department and Inspectional Services (ISD) to “strictly enforce” the guidelines and issue violations to those that are not adhering to the order. Those violations can carry fines of up to $300 per day per violation.
“I know these measure may seem extreme, however, this virus is extreme,” he said. “As we continue to grapple with the spread of the coronavirus, the response to mitigate the current pandemic and flatten he curve has to be more vigorous. We must all understand the seriousness of the virus and work with one another as we get through this period of time together.”
Locations where masks are required include:
•Parks.
•Businesses.
•Outdoor Spaces.
•All Public Spaces.
•Those visiting restaurants may remove their mask for consumption of food and beverage, but must adhere to the mask order when entering, exiting, or moving about the establishment.