Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, April 07, 2020
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 20-067 MANDATING THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC WEAR FACEMASKS WHEN GOING OUT FOR ESSENTIAL TASKS IN THE CITY OF CARSON UNTIL EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS RELATED TO COVID -19 HAVE BEEN LIFTED (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
This item is being presented at the request of Councilmember Jawane Hilton.
The White House, Center for Disease Control (CDC) and LA County Department of Public Health have all focused on stopping the spread of COVID-19 by emphasizing the need for social distancing, washing your hands often, and sheltering at home. In response, the City declared the existence of a local emergency via Resolution No. 20-053 on March 17, 2020. As with all situations that have no baseline, updated information comes to light, and new processes are formed based off the incoming data compiled. Thus, a new recommendation is being made on the subject of the use of facemasks for all residents and employees.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 20-067 , “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Carson, california, RATIFYING THAT CERTAIN ‘ORDER OF THE CARSON DISASTER COUNCIL, CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, IMPLEMENTING RESOLUTION NO. 20-053 AND MUNICIPAL CODE, ARTICLE III, CHAPTER 7, §§ 3700 ET SEQ., FINDING, DETERMINING AND ORDERING THAT ALL RESIDENTS OR VISITORS WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF CARSON SHALL NOT LEAVE THEIR PLACES OF DOMICILE OR RESIDENCE, EXCEPT TO ENGAGE IN ESSENTIAL SERVICES, WITHOUT WEARING A FACE MASK OR COVERING WHICH SHALL COVER THE NOSE AND MOUTH OF THE WEARER, AND MAKING A VIOLATION OF SAME ENFORCEABLE BY CITY AUTHORITIES THROUGH ALL ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS WITHIN THE CARSON MUNICIPAL CODE, AND SUBJECT TO A ONE THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE,’ ISSUED APRIL 2, 2020”
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic within the United States, the CDC’s position on facemasks is that they were only necessary when an individual is exhibiting signs of sickness or when caring for someone who is sick (and the infected is not able to wear a facemask).
Reputable news outlets report that the CDC is currently in close communication with both the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The CDC is recommending the consideration of masks as an additional measure to slow the pandemic partly due to the alarmingly high level of symptom-free cases that are being discovered. Additionally, Riverside County released a public health recommendation on March 31, 2020 advising that residents should cover their nose and mouth when leaving home for all essential business and travel outside of their homes.
There is increasing evidence that individuals who are infected, but not exhibiting symptoms, can spread COVID-19 via respiratory droplets produced when coughing, sneezing, and transfer thereof to surfaces. Droplets can land in the mouths or noses of healthy people who are nearby or possibly inhaled into the lungs. The virus can also live on surfaces for varied lengths of time, in some cases for days. It may be possible that a person can get the virus by touching an infected surface or object and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.
On April 1, 2020 City of Los Angeles’ Mayor Garcetti held a live press conference urging Angelinos to cover their faces when leaving their homes for essential business. He explained how other countries have been able to drastically reduce the spread of the virus by having the public at large use face coverings. “Early data suggests that folks who are infected are not symptomatic which is why with today’s guidance from Governor Newsom and Dr. Ferrer from County Public Health we are now recommending that Angelinos use homemade face coverings when they are in public and interacting with others.”
On April 2, 2020, the Disaster Council met regarding the mandating of wearing facemasks and issued the order which the City Council is asked to ratify by this resolution.
In its order, the Carson Disaster Council mandated as follows:
“Each resident of, or visitor to, the City of Carson shall, upon either entering the geographic boundaries of the City or upon leaving their domicile or place of residence and continuing until their return to the place of domicile or residence or exiting the geographic boundaries of the City, except to perform an essential service within the meaning of applicable Federal Guidelines, shall wear a face mask or covering which shall be of sufficient size to cover the nose and mouth of the wearer so as to assure the inhale or exhale of oxygen through the mask or covering.”
Before the Council tonight is a resolution ratifying that Order. The Order will be enforced by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department as well as the City of Carson Code Enforcement Officers. Penalties for violation of the Order are established in Carson’s Municipal Code and in the Order.
The City Council takes the current climate seriously and wants to ensure precautions are in place to protect the health and safety of its residents. In response to the City’s mandate, a campaign and slogan to wear facemasks through social media has been initiated #CoverCarson. Please note that in no way should this new practice be misconstrued to mean that safer at home measures aren’t still in effect.
This is a mandate that adds a new layer of protection to current safety protocols based upon updated reports that facemasks provide a crucial layer of protection to the healthy and may help reduce the possibility that infected individuals would unwittingly spread of the virus into the air.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
Any expenditure utilized for facemasks will be processed for reimbursement through Federal, State and County funds.
VI. EXHIBITS
Exhibit 1 - Riverside County News Release
Exhibit 2 - Carson Facemask Order
Exhibit 3 - Resolution No. 20-067
Prepared by: David C. Roberts, Jr., Assistant City Manager