HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — UPDATE: A health order requiring people in Madison County to wear masks in most public pages begins July 7 at 5:30 p.m.
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A proposed mask ordinance from the Madison County Board of Health is under consideration.
The ordinance would require a person to wear a mask or face covering defined as “a device to cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of saliva or other fluids during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other intentional or involuntary action.”
According to representative for the City of Huntsville, the Madison County Board of Health sent the city a copy today and it is in process, but they are waiting for official approval.
Click here to watch the July 1 Huntsville/Madison County COVID-19 update.
This would be required in the following public places in Madison County:
- Indoor spaces of business or venues open to the general public, including but not limited to stores, bars, and restaurants (see exception 3b), entertainment venues, public meeting spaces, govemment buildings, civic centers, etc.
- Transportation services available to the general public, including mass transit, paratransit, taxi, or ride-sharing services.
- Outdoor areas open to the public where ten or more persons are gathered and unable to maintain a distance of six (6) or more feet between persons not from the same household.
The following exceptions for people and places include:
- Children two (2) years of age and under. Face coverings or mask may pose a risk of choking, strangulation, or suffocation to infants and young toddlers. Carriers and strollers with covers that allow the child to breathe comfortably are recommended as safe alternatives.
- Eating or Drinking. Persons may remove face coverings while eating or drinking, provided that they re-cover their faces when interacting with other persons, not at their tables such as bartenders, servers, or other customers.
- Medical Examinations or Procedures. Patients in examination rooms of medical offices, dental offices, clinics, or hospitals where there is a necessity to examining or treat the mouth or nasal area. In those circumstances, medical or dental professionals in charge of the office, clinic, or hospital may direct individuals to remove their face coverings.
- Hair Care Services. A customer's face covering may be temporarily removed or displaced when necessary to provide hair care. Otherwise, customers and workers in hair care settings must wear face coverings while inside the hair care establishment.
- Personal Safety. A face covering / mask shall not be required when wearing such a face covering / mask poses a significant mental or physical health, safety, or security risk, such as when a person has trouble breathing, is unconscious, is incapacitated, or is unable to remove the face covering without assistance.
Under this subsection, a "safety risk" may also include external factors, such as:
Persons are working on ladders or at a height
Persons are wearing other respiratory protection
Persons are engaging in heavy physical exertion
Persons are operating heavy equipment
Persons are working in an environment where a face covering / mask hinders communications necessary for safety. - Places of Worship. Places of worship may use their discretion regarding face covering requirements. However, face coverings are strongly recommended for congregants during worship services, especially while singing or speaking together. Face coverings are also recommended for situations within places of worship where people from different households are unable to or unlikely to maintain a distance of six (6) feet from each other.
- Effective Communication. The requirement to wear a face covering shall not apply when a person who is hearing-impaired needs to see the mouth of someone wearing a face covering to communicate. It shall also not apply to a person speaking to a large group of people, where the face covering may make it difficult for others to understand the speaker, provided the speaker can stay at least 6 feet away from other persons.
- Indoor Athletic Facilities. All indoor athletics facilities (including fitness centers, commercial gyms, and spas, as well as yoga, barre, and spin facilities) shall comply with the State Health Officer's May 21, 2020 Order. Patrons are not required to wear face coverings or masks while actively participating in permitted athletic activities. However, employees in regular interaction with patrons are required to wear face coverings or masks.
- Private Clubs and Gatherings. Face coverings shall not be required in meetings of private clubs or private organizations, provided the meetings are not open to the general public; and consistent six (6) foot distance between persons from different households is maintained.
All businesses and venues open to the general public would be required to post a notice at all public entrances of their establishment, stating that face coverings are required inside the establishment.
Read the draft ordinance below. As of 5:45 p.m. on July 1, this has not been approved by the Alabama Dept. of Public Health.
