Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson issued Declaration of State of Emergency 20-03 effective at 5 p.m. today, Friday, June 26, requiring face coverings to be worn by employees and patrons inside businesses within City of Pensacola limits.
This order is in response to a rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in the Pensacola area and in accordance with the recent Public Health Advisory issued by the State Surgeon General, along with the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that cloth face coverings be worn in public settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain.
“Our top priority in the City of Pensacola is the health and safety of our citizens, and we have to take action to protect our community during these unprecedented times,” Mayor Robinson said. “Wearing a mask is a simple step we can all take to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and ultimately help our community and economy recover more quickly. It’s important to remember that you can spread COVID-19 even if you don’t feel sick. Wearing a mask is not a sign of fear or selfishness, but rather a sign of kindness and selflessness since your mask could protect others from getting sick.”
This order applies to City of Pensacola limits and includes the following:
- An individual in a business must wear a face covering while in a business establishment.
- All persons who own, manage, or are employed by a business located in the city must wear a face covering while on-duty and having direct or indirect customer contact, including persons working in a kitchen or otherwise preparing or serving food or beverages to customers.
- Each business must post signage notifying individuals of the requirement to wear a face covering as provided by this order. Printable PDF signs are available online, or businesses are welcome to create their own signage:
What is considered a face covering?
- A face covering is a material that covers the nose and mouth and that fits snugly against the sides of the face so there are no gaps. It can be secured to the head with ties or straps or simply wrapped around the lower face. It can be made of a variety of materials, such as cotton, silk, or linen. Coverings with materials made of multiple layers is highly encouraged. A cloth face covering may be factory-made or sewn by hand, or the cloth face covering can be improvised from household items.
- For additional information about how to make, wear and wash a cloth face covering, visit CDC’s website.
Exceptions
This order does not apply to:
- A child under 6 years of age.
- A person who has one or more medical conditions or disabilities that prevent wearing a face covering, including anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance. A person asserting this exception for medical conditions or disabilities is not required to carry or produce documentation verifying the health condition to a business or law enforcement.
- A person who is communicating with an individual who is hearing impaired who needs to see the mouth of the person speaking to facilitate communication.
- An individual who is obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service.
- Public safety, police, fire, and other life safety and health care personnel whose personal protective equipment requirements are governed by their respective agencies.
- A person in a federal, state, or Escambia County government building.
- A person exercising while observing at least 6 feet of distancing from other persons.
- Persons while eating or drinking. It is the intent of this provision that a face covering be worn while traversing a business for ingress and egress, to use the restroom facilities, and while standing when persons are unable to maintain at least 6 feet of distancing.
- Business owners, managers, and employees who are in an area of a business that is not open to customers, patrons, or the public, provided that 6 feet of distance exists between persons. This exception does not apply to employees who are present in the kitchen or other food and beverage preparation area of a business – those persons must wear face coverings.
- An individual in a lodging establishment who is inside of the lodging unit, including, but not limited to, a hotel room, motel room, vacation rental unit, timeshare unit, or similar unit.
