Order Requires Employees of Essential Businesses, Public to Wear Face-Covering
Reading, MA — The following is a release from the Reading Board of Health.
MANDATORY COVID-19 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
MANDATORY COVID-19 POLICIES AND PROCEDURESEMERGENCY ORDER EFFECTIVE AS OF 4/22/20 AT NOON
(AMENDED ON FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020)
(AMENDED ON MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020)
By Order of the Board of Health:
Starting at noon on April 22, 2020, and continuing until the Town of Reading Board of Health rescinds, supersedes, or modifies this Order, all persons within the municipal limits of the Town of Reading MUST comply with the following policies and procedures to reduce the potential for the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
THESE PROCEDURES ARE MANDATORY AND MUST BE COMPLIED WITH BY ALL PERSONS IN READING.
Pursuant to the declaration of a public health emergency on April 1, 2020, in accordance with G.L. c.11 Section 95 through 102, 310 CMR 11.05, 105 CMR 300.200 and any other authorizing statutes and regulations, we, the Board of Health of the Town of Reading, MA in order to take additional measures to protect the public health during the COVID-19 public health emergency in light of current conditions, including an expected surge in COVID-19 cases, hereby order the following:
1. All members of the public entering any essential business as defined by Governor Baker’s COVID-19 Executive Orders, including, but not limited to, grocery stores, farm stand stores, pharmacies, liquor/beer/wine stores, convenience stores, and the like, must wear a facial covering, such as a fabric mask, scarf or bandana, over their nose and mouth.
a. The facial covering does not have to be a surgical mask or N-95
respirator, which should be left for medical professionals and first responders. See this link for information on making a cloth facial covering: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-gettingsick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html.
b. All members of the public entering a restaurant for the purpose of picking up food for take-out must wear a facial covering over their nose and mouth.
2. All employees of all essential businesses open to the public shall wear a facial covering over their mouth and nose. Employers and employees must also comply with all applicable CDC and DPH protocols and guidelines for their particular business, which may include recommendations and/or directives concerning the use of personal protective equipment, such as gloves.
Essential businesses open to the public shall use discretion for occupational health hazards regarding the use of facial coverings (i.e., cooks over grills, employees using machines, etc.) and exercise best professional judgment on use of facial covering or not during such occupational operations.
3. Food/goods delivery personnel shall wear facial coverings over their nose and mouth when delivering the food/goods to the customer if there is a person-to-person exchange. Employees are required to comply with this requirement not contingent upon the ability of their employer to supply facial coverings.
4. Any resident or member of the general public, including workforce, entering or exiting a residential or commercial building complex of greater than one (1) unit must wear a facial covering over their nose and mouth while in common areas and communal spaces and must exercise social distancing in these spaces in accordance with CDC guidelines. See these guidelines at:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/preventgetting-sick/socialdist….html.
5. Face coverings should not be placed on young children (younger than 2 years of age), anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or is otherwise unable to remove the cover without assistance (see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-fac…
6. All persons are required to properly dispose of all gloves, facial coverings, and other personal protection equipment or other potentially virus-contaminated items in appropriate disposal bins. Penalties for failure to properly dispose of these materials will be in accordance with state and local laws.
7. Each applicable essential business, residential or commercial building complex of greater than one unit shall post signage at public and employee entrances requiring facial coverings and social and physical distancing of six feet from one another. Attached is a template example
SO ORDERED by the Town of Reading Board of Health on April 20, 2020 (and amended on 4/24/20):
Emmy Dove, Chair
Eleanor Tate Shonkoff, Vice Chair
Kevin M. Sexton
