Frederick County Board Of Health Approves Indoor Mask Mandate
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Frederick County became the latest jurisdiction in Maryland to add an indoor mask mandate after its Board of Health approved the regulation Thursday evening.
The measure, which passed on a 5-3 vote, takes effect at 5 p.m. on Friday. It will remain in place until the county's COVID-19 cases fall below 20 per capita or it is lifted by the Board of Health.
Under the mandate, everyone ages 5 and older is required to wear a face covering in all indoor public spaces where people cannot maintain at least six feet of distance from one another.
Frederick County joins Baltimore and Howard counties, which previously introduced similar mandates, along with Anne Arundel County, which issued an emergency mandate on Thursday.
The mandate comes as the county deals with elevated COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
The Board of Health is encouraging residents to get their vaccines and booster shots if eligible, saying most of the county's hospitalizations are among unvaccinated individuals.
The panel also discussed the need for a state-run testing clinic. County Executive Jan Gardner and the County Council are writing to Gov. Larry Hogan to request that one be established.