Latest on the Corona Virus

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Requirements for the Use of
Face Coverings and Masks
November 9, 2020 (revised from October 29, 2020)
North Carolina took early and aggressive action to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our state. These
actions prevented our healthcare systems from being overwhelmed and provided valuable time to build
our state’s capacity to respond to this crisis. Now, we are seeing increasing cases and hospitalizations
from COVID-19 across our state. With more North Carolinians leaving their homes as we ease
restrictions, the risk for COVID-19 exposure and infection increases.
We have important goals: to protect our families, friends and neighbors from getting seriously ill, to
restore our economy and get people back to work, and to get our children back to school. To attain
these goals, we must remain vigilant and continue to work together to combat the spread of COVID-19
by taking preventive actions to slow the spread of COVID-19. The preventive actions include the 3 Ws:
Wear a cloth face covering. Wait 6 feet apart from others. Wash your hands.
Over the past few months, we have learned a lot about COVID-19 transmission. We know now that
people who are infected, but do not have symptoms, can infect others by spreading respiratory droplets
through activities like speaking, coughing, laughing, and singing. New scientific evidence suggests that
public use of face coverings can help reduce disease transmission. Face coverings are not a substitute for
other important prevention practices and should be used in addition to staying 6 feet apart, washing
hands, and staying home when ill.
This document updates existing NC DHHS guidance for the use of face coverings by the general public
when outside the home. It mandates that face coverings be worn statewide as outlined below. It is not a
substitute for existing guidance about social distancing and handwashing.
Guidance for People
People must wear face coverings when in public places, indoor or outdoor, where physical distancing of
six (6) feet from other people who are not members of the same household or residence is not possible.
These settings include, but are not limited to:
• Inside of, or in line to enter, any indoor public space, including public schools;
• Waiting for or riding on public and private multi person transportation, including but not limited to
buses, taxis, ride sharing, private care service, vans;
NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Requirements for the Use of Face Coverings and Masks- November 9, 2020 2
• Engaged in work, whether at the workplace or performing work off-site, when they are or may be
within six (6) feet of other people, including working in or walking through common areas, such as
lobbies, hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking facilities;
• Obtaining services in a healthcare setting;
• While outdoors in public spaces when maintaining a physical distance of 6 feet from persons who
are not members of the same household or residence is not feasible.
This restriction does not apply to persons while inside their residence or the personal residence of
another. Face coverings may be removed to participate in a religious ritual.
Guidance for Businesses
Certain businesses are required to have patrons and employees wear face coverings whether they are
inside or outside when they are or may be within six (6) feet of another person, or unless an exception
applies. Specific occupational settings, including health care settings, should continue to follow existing
protocols and require surgical or procedure masks or N95 respirators, as indicated.
These businesses must follow the requirements for face coverings as described in Executive Order 147.
These businesses, to the extent they are open are:
• Retail Businesses;
• Restaurants
• Personal Care, Grooming, and Tattoo Businesses;
• Child Care Facilities, Day Camps, and Overnight Camps;
• Gyms, Exercise Facilities, and Fitness Facilities,
• State Government Cabinet Agencies;
• Transportation;
• High-Density Occupational Settings Where Social Distancing is Difficult, including manufacturing
settings, construction sites, and migrant farm or other farm settings;
• Meat or Poultry Processing Plants (new surgical mask requirement);
• Long Term Care Facilities (new surgical mask requirement);
• Other Health Care Settings (ongoing adherence to CDC guidance)
Exceptions. Face Coverings do not need to be worn by an individual, worker, customer, or patron in
public places and business settings who:
a. Has a medical or behavioral condition or disability and cannot wear a face covering
(including, but not limited to, any person who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious
or incapacitated, or is otherwise unable to put on or remove the face covering without
assistance);
NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Requirements for the Use of Face Coverings and Masks- November 9, 2020 3
b. Is under five (5) years of age (please see StrongSchoolNC Public Health Toolkit school
guidance for requirement for requirements for K-12 school settings);
c. Is actively eating or drinking;
d. Is strenuously exercising or swimming;
e. Is seeking to communicate with someone with hearing loss in a way that requires the
mouth to be visible;
f. Is giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience;
g. Is working at home or alone in a vehicle;
h. Is temporarily removing his or her Face Covering to secure government or medical
services or for identification purposes;
i. Would be at risk from wearing a Face Covering at work, as determined by local, state,
or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines;
j. Has found that his or her Face Covering is impeding visibility to operate equipment or a
vehicle; or
k. Is a child whose parent, guardian, or responsible person has been unable to place the
Face Covering safely on the child’s face.
l. Children under two (2) years of age should not wear a face covering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cloth face covering?
A cloth face covering is a material that covers the nose and mouth. It can be secured to the head with
ties or straps or simply wrapped around the lower face. It can be made of a variety of materials, such as
cotton, silk, or linen. A cloth face covering may be factory-made or sewn by hand or can be improvised
from household items such as scarfs, T-shirts, sweatshirts, or towels. Ideally, a face covering has two (2)
or more layers. These face coverings are not intended for use by healthcare providers in the care of
patients. Surgical Masks, Procedure Masks, and N95 respirators are not recommended for general
public use or use in community settings, as these should be reserved for specific high-risk occupational
settings, healthcare providers and other medical first responders in a health care setting.
Are face shields allowed instead of cloth face coverings?
No. Based on recommendations from the CDC, face shields do not meet the requirements for face
coverings.
When should I wear a cloth face covering?
You should wear face coverings when in public places, particularly when those locations are indoors or
in other areas where physical distancing is not possible.
How should I wear a cloth face covering?
Be sure to place the face covering over your nose and your mouth and keep it in place at all times while
you wear it. Be careful not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth when removing or adjusting a face
covering and wash hands immediately after removing or adjusting
How should I care for a cloth face covering?
Wash your cloth face covering frequently, ideally after each use, or at least daily. Have a bag or bin to
keep cloth face coverings in until they can be laundered with detergent and hot water and dried on a
NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Requirements for the Use of Face Coverings and Masks- November 9, 2020 4
hot cycle. If you must re-wear your cloth face covering before washing, wash your hands immediately
after putting it back on and avoid touching your face. Discard cloth face coverings that:
• No longer cover the nose and mouth
• Have stretched out or damaged ties or straps
• Cannot stay on the face
• Have holes or tears in the fabric
How well do cloth face coverings work to prevent spread of COVID-19?
Scientific evidence suggests that use of cloth face coverings by the public during a pandemic can help
reduce disease transmission. Cloth face coverings can reduce the release of infectious particles into the
air when someone speaks, coughs, or sneezes. Cloth face coverings are not a substitute for staying six
(6) feet apart, washing hands, and staying home when ill.
Do I need to wear a face covering while exercising outdoors?
No. If you are able to safely maintain at least six (6) feet distance from others, you do not need to wear a
face covering when exercising outdoors.
Should children wear cloth face coverings?
Cloth face coverings should NOT be put on babies and children under the age of 2 because of danger of
suffocation. Children over the age of 2 should wear cloth face coverings if they can reliably wear,
remove, and handle cloth face coverings throughout the day.
What if I am a person with hearing loss and am concerned about not being able to read lips?
Deaf and Hard of Hearing people often use lipreading to help understand what those around them are
saying. When people are wearing cloth face coverings, other communication strategies are needed. Try
finding a cloth face covering that has a clear plastic area that allows the lips to be visible, writing notes
back and forth, writing on a white board to communicate, using a free speech to text app on mobile
device, and gesturing – or if needed stepping several additional feet back from the person and removing
face cloth face covering long enough to communicate.

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Masks - Coronavirus COVID-19 Response


It’s now required that people in California must wear a mask or face covering when they are outside of the home.


On this page you will find:


How masks help stop the spread
Mask wearing exemptions
How to wear a mask
What kind of mask should you wear?
Questions and answers
How masks help stop the spread
Coronavirus spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings, talks, or breathes within 6 feet of others. You may have the virus and spread it even if you feel well.


To prevent infection, you must cover your nose and mouth when outside your home. Wearing a mask is now required statewide. It can slow the spread of COVID-19 by limiting the release of virus into the air. Cloth masks or face coverings can reduce your exposure to infectious droplets through filtration. It also reinforces physical distancing, and shows you care about the health of others.


Mask wearing exemptions
Individuals are exempt from wearing masks in the following specific settings:


People in a car alone or solely with members of their own household.
People who are working in an office or in a room alone.
People who are actively eating or drinking. They should maintain a distance of at least six feet from those not in their household.
People who are outdoors and maintaining at least 6 feet of social distance from others not in their household. They must have a face covering with them at all times and must put it on if they are within 6 feet of others who are not in their household.
People who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary..
Workers who are required to wear respiratory protection.
People who are specifically exempted from wearing face coverings by [other CDPH guidance].
Some are exempt from wearing face coverings at all times:


Children younger than two years old. These very young children must not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation.
People with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face covering. This includes those with rare medical conditions for whom wearing a face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance.
People who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired. In these cases, the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
People for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.
Read the official mask guidance from the California Department of Public Health.


How to wear a mask
Don’t wear your mask under your nose or just on your chin. A mask is only effective if it covers both ways you breathe.




Wear a mask correctly and consistently for the best protection.


Choose a mask that covers your nose and mouth, goes under your chin, and fits snugly against the sides of your face
Wash your hands before putting on a mask
Do not touch the mask when wearing it
The CDC has more information about how to wear masks.


What kind of mask should you wear?
Most people should wear a cloth mask or face covering.


Wear a mask with two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric.
Do not wear masks intended for healthcare workers, like an N95 respirator.
CDC does not recommend the use of face shields. They’re still evaluating them and their effectiveness is unknown.

[Phil B.]

This is sooooo low.. he killed countless citizens in his state and he gets a raise? His state is $63 BILLION in the whole. And liberals complain about CEO's in large companies?

Cuomo Is About To Get a Significant Pay Raise Despite New York's Budget Nightmare

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will receive a $25,000 pay raise at the start of 2021, becoming the highest-paid governor in the nation despite his state’s massive budget deficit and worst-in-the-nation COVID-19 death toll.
Cuomo’s salary will jump from $225,000 to $250,000 on Jan. 1, the New York Post reported.
The state Senate and Assembly did not give judges and 213 state lawmakers their own expected raises, which the Commission on Legislative, Judicial and Executive Compensation said the state couldn’t pay.

The state of New York faces a $63 billion budget deficit because of revenue losses related to coronavirus lockdowns.
“We understand the potential for significant budget cuts may be necessary at the state executive level as well if the federal government does not enact additional funding to address the economic hardship caused by COVID-19,” the Commission on Legislative, Judicial and Executive Compensation wrote in a report released Monday evening.

“Substantial additional state monies will be needed to deal with the pandemic, including providing face masks, virus tracking, contact tracing, enforcement efforts, and distribution of the hoped-for new pandemic vaccine.
“Simply put the commissioners’ worst fears as articulated in the 2019 Report — a downturn in the state’s finances coupled with an inability to cover increased salary obligations — has unfortunately come to stark reality in the worst possible way.”

Only the Democrat-controlled state legislature has the power to approve or deny Cuomo’s raise, and the measure was approved in the spring of 2019.
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli are also expected to receive pay raises in 2021.

Cuomo also received a new source of revenue this year when his book “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic” was released in October.
The state has had the most coronavirus deaths in the nation by far: more than 34,000, according to Johns Hopkins University data Wednesday. Texas is a distant second at about 20,000 deaths.
New York governments and authorities have projected $59 billion of revenue shortfalls through 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The state government lost an estimated $14 billion in the current fiscal year and $16 billion in the coming one.
Transportation authorities are expected to take in $15 billion less revenue due to a drop in passengers.

Local governments and New York City will face $13.5 billion in shortfalls over the next two years.
Cuomo has been lobbying the federal government for additional state and local aid, threatening to cut health and education budgets, according to the Post.

President Donald Trump has rejected such federal aid as “bailouts” for states that have been mismanaged by Democratic leadership, but Cuomo believes Democrat Joe Biden will take a different approach in the White House.
“We don’t dig out of it. We don’t have a shovel big enough to dig out of it, it’s the biggest number in history. We need help from Washington, and that’s what Trump wouldn’t do, and that’s what Biden will do,” he said during a radio interview Tuesday on WQHT-FM’s “Ebro in the Morning.”
“Biden ran, and I know him and I supported and he’s a good man — he will fund state and local governments, and we need that to come even close to balancing the budget,” the governor said.

Cuomo doesn't deserve a raise... but he does deserve a room with steel bars all around.

New Yorkers should be out raged at this... they are funding a criminal.

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Trump blocks Biden's team from White House COVID-19 task force - CBS News

[SalesServiceGuy]

masks don't work....

you be the sheep I'll be the wolf.

... your comments likely place you in a high risk group for contracting COVID-19.

[skynet]

I wear army camo.. removed ALL patches except US Flag and attached my name and III%UPNC and other patches. Actual Army light and heavy camo jackets paid $20 for the heavy .. $15 for lightweight @ local thrift store.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

In the Uk we dont have bargain "thrift stores" we have 2nd hand shops but they charge top dollar. There is an army surplus store about 20 miles from me in a fairly rich neighborhood who buys stuff off ebay triples the price and hopes some rich idiot will walk on and buy it. US surplus generally fetches higher prices that other stuff but I do like the patterns, this is what my usmc jacket looks like.

[skynet]

The camo color of the one I have from when I was in Iraq is Desert Sand.

Nice if its waterproof Its probably goretex you can google the number on the label to find out, it could be worth some money but if I were you I would keep it.

[skynet]

back on topic

masks don't work....

you be the sheep I'll be the wolf.

If masks work why are infections going up?

[Phil B.]

back on topic


If masks work why are infections going up?

ask that of bullshitmaster.

from the start I have provided evidence that masks DON'T work..in fact they can be harmful to some.

same thing goes with lockdowns.

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