Palm Beach likely to require masks

Plan expected to be OK’d Tuesday

If you live in Palm Beach County, it’s time to get a mask.

The county plans today to require people to wear masks in public to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

County commissioners had resisted the move for weeks as other areas put orders in place. But cases of COVID-19 have exploded in recent weeks, and five of seven commissioners told the South Florida Sun Sentinel they will approve an order Tuesday.

The date when masks would be required has not been determined.

Palm Beach County Mayor

Dave Kerner said late Monday afternoon that he was still working on details of the ordinance but it was full steam ahead.

The order will include all the cities in the county, not just the unincorporated parts. Any violation would be a misdemeanor, which could result in a fine or arrest or both, the same as in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, he said.

In Broward, facial coverings must be worn by patrons in public indoor spaces and by all food workers, except while eating and drinking.

In Miami-Dade, they are mandated in public for patrons and food workers, but masks do not have to be worn on the beach unless you are unable to social distance.

Palm Beach County, until now, has required masks only in county buildings and on buses. Many

restaurant servers do not wear them.

The county was the first in South Florida to end its coronavirus lockdown and enter a Phase 1 reopening, despite not meeting all federal guidelines at the time. It allowed its beaches to open on Memorial Day weekend, while beaches remained empty elsewhere in South Florida.

Since then, however, the number of COVID-19 cases has climbed dramatically in Palm Beach County and elsewhere. Florida hit a sobering milestone Monday when it reached 100,000 cases of COVID-19.

A total of 189 new cases were reported Monday in Palm Beach County, bringing the total in the pandemic to 10,943. Some 481 people have died.

The trend appears to have swayed the commissioners’ thinking. As recently as last week, the county was not ready to require masks even as Tampa, St. Petersburg, the Keys and Orange County, including Orlando, put orders in place. Opponents argued that forcing masks on residents infringes on their individual rights.

Commissioner Gregg Weiss, who had proposed the mask mandate, said Monday that he has heard overwhelming support in the community for a mask requirement. Palm Beach County’s order is likely to resemble those in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, he said.

“It’s unfortunate this has become politicized because it’s a public health issue,” he said. “Listening

to the public health experts and science, that’s what we need to be following. Unfortunately it has been mired in politics.”

Two Palm Beach County commissioners, Mary Lou Berger and Vice Mayor Robert Weinroth, couldn’t be reached for comment Monday about whether masks should be required. Weinroth said last week that he wouldn’t support a mask requirement because it would cause a public outcry.

“I think that we are in a dangerous area to try and impose our will on our stakeholders,” he said. “And I think it’s going to be a mistake.”

CARLINE JEAN/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Raphael Clemente, director of the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority, walks along Clematis Street in West Palm Beach to distribute free face masks to businesses for their patrons and employees. Palm Beach County likely will start mandating the use of masks. The county vote will be Tuesday.