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  • Mayor Mandates Non-Medical Grade Face Coverings In Public For Oahu Residents

Mayor mandates non-medical grade face coverings in public for O‘ahu residents

HONOLULU -- Mayor Kirk Caldwell today signed Emergency Order No. 2020-07 mandating O‘ahu residents wear non-medical grade face coverings while in public to further limit the transmission and spread of coronavirus.

According to the Order, employees who work at Essential Businesses as provided in the Stay at Home Order, shall wear non-medical grade face coverings over their noses and mouths when engaged and interacting with customers and visitors of the Essential Business.

All customers and visitors of Essential Businesses must also wear non-medical grade face coverings to provide additional protection for employees and customers of Essential Businesses.

This Order also applies to passengers and users of public modes of transportation like the TheBus and TheHandi-van.

An owner or operator of an Essential Business may refuse admission or service to an individual who fails to wear face coverings.

Exemptions to this face covering Order include:

  • Within banks, financial institutions, or using an automated teller machine (ATM) where inability to verify the identity of the customer or visitor of the bank, financial institution or ATM poses a security risk;
  • By individuals with medical conditions or disabilities where wearing of a face covering may pose a health or safety risk to the individual;
  • By children under the age of 5;
  • By first responders (Honolulu Police Department, Honolulu Fire Department, Honolulu Emergency Services Department) to the extent that wearing non-medical grade face coverings may impair or impede the safety of the first responders in the performance of his/her duty.

"Wearing a non-medical face covering has become a simple and extremely valuable tool in slowing the spread of this virus and preventing those who have COVID-19 but don't know it from spreading it to others," said Mayor Caldwell. "While wearing a face covering is not a substitute for social distancing, it can help at Essential Businesses where Social Distancing Requirements may at times be difficult to maintain, like paying for groceries or picking up medication at the pharmacy."

This Order is effective at 12 a.m. on Monday, April 20 and will continue through 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. Violation of this Order is punishable as a misdemeanor, with fines up to $5,000, up to a year in jail, or both.

All individuals in the City are encouraged, but not required, to wear non-medical grade face coverings over their noses and mouths when they are outside their homes and performing Essential Activities, as provided in the Stay at Home Order.

For questions on the Order, O‘ahu residents are encouraged to visit the website, oneoahu.org to get answers to frequently asked questions. If they do not find an answer to their questions on the site, residents can call the 768-CITY (2489) information hotline or email covidresponse@honolulu.gov. The City's COVID-19 information call center remains open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for holidays.

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