Mask Mandate Extended for 30 Days

At today’s special meeting, Health Director, Dr. Eugenia Seidel, provided an update on COVID-19 which included case counts, current hospitalizations and COVID related deaths. She indicated that the positivity rate in Nassau County is declining and she attributed it to all mitigation factors taking place including physical distancing, hand sanitizing, and wearing masks. She is urging residents to continue use of masks in close settings where social distancing isn’t possible.

The Board discussed the current Executive Order mandating masks at indoor business establishments which was set to expire today. After some discussion, it was determined that the Board would extend the mask mandate an additional 30 days. As a result, the Board approved Executive Order No. 22, extending the mandate through September 25, 2020.

Several Commissioners acknowledged that they have been contacted by residents on both sides of this issue. While it certainly wasn’t an easy decision, they ultimately believe that the health and safety of residents is a priority. They also stated that they will be working with the Health Department and Emergency Management to establish criteria for lifting the mandate.

We encourage all residents to listen to this discussion and perhaps gain a better understanding of how they arrived at the decision to extend the mandate an additional 30 days. The meeting can be found here.