DALY CITY, Calif. (KRON) – San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa is pushing for fines to be imposed on those who don’t abide by Governor Gavin Newsom’s face mask mandate.
Newsom announced June 18 that face masks would be required statewide in all high-risk settings such as indoor public spaces, on public transportation, and while at work, but did not disclose how the order will be enforced.
“Science shows that face coverings and masks work,” Newsom said in a statement. “They are critical to keeping those who are around you safe, keeping businesses open and restarting our economy.”
Since then, there were at least 5 sheriff’s departments in California that said they would not be enforcing the order, with some citing the “minor nature of the offense” or a “lack of resources.”
“I’m seeing too many people ignore this simple practice which is frankly putting the entire community at risk to this deadly disease,” Canepa said in a news release. “If we want to truly save lives, then we must all wear face coverings.”
“I am proposing that the state offer counties guidance on a fine structure and enforcement because without it, the public is at risk,” he added.
The state Department of Public Health recorded more than 5,000 new cases Tuesday, putting the total number of positive cases at more than 183,000.
The state has seen more than 5,500 deaths related to COVID-19.
In the Bay Area, there are now more than 20,000 cases and 538 deaths.
The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus in California has inched up each of the past several days and now is nearly 3,900, the highest rate since Gov. Newsom followed the lead of the Bay Area and ordered Californians to stay home in mid-March.
Latest Stories: