Press Release
Public Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To Mask is Still an Ask in Kittitas County

Kittitas County, WA - 05/23/2020 - To mask is still an ask in Kittitas County. The directive is a stronger way of asking, but it is not a requirement and there is no enforcement in regard to whether someone wears a face covering or not. We want people to understand the seriousness of our request in that science is showing face coverings to block infectious droplets from spreading from someone who may have COVID-19. The entire masking directive is available at www.co.kittitas.wa.us one the incident website.

The only requirement of the masking directive is that commercial establishments must have signage encouraging everyone to wear face coverings.  Again, wearing face coverings at this time is not required.
 
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.  This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms.  In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
 
For business that want assistance with signage, please contact the Emergency Operation Center (EOC). For more information about the cloth masking directive, please visit www.co.kittitas.wa.us. If you have questions about your health, please contact your healthcare provider or you can call the Temporary COVID Clinic at KVH at 509-933-8850.  If you are having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the Emergency Department at KVH.  If you have general questions about COVID-19, please call the EOC at 509-933-8315 or 509-933-8305.
 

Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us

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Contact: Kasey Knutson, Public Information Officer, (509) 962-7515

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