You’ll need to wear a face mask now in Palm Beach County, but it’s not clear where.
After hearing a worrisome update about the spread of the new coronavirus, as well as angry comments from protesters, county commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to require face masks in public.
They took the action even though details of the order will not be completed until Wednesday and the county has not determined when the rules would take effect.
The ordinance is expected to require face coverings for public spaces indoors and outdoors when social distancing is not possible, Mayor Dave Kerner said late Tuesday. There will be exemptions for people exercising and medical exemptions, he said. People who violate the rules could be fined.
Alina Alonso, Palm Beach County’s health department director, had warned commissioners Tuesday that “our numbers are going in the wrong direction” and rose “very, very rapidly” after reopening businesses.
Although Broward County has more people, Palm Beach County’s rate of infection is likely to surpass Broward soon, she said.
Seniors are remaining indoors, but the less cautious are venturing outside, getting higher rates of infections and “filling ICU beds and even dying,” Alonso said.
Although Broward and Miami-Dade have mandated masks for months, Palm Beach County until now resisted that move and required masks only for riders on its county buses.
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, the same as in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
“As the county moves forward with reopening businesses and recreational activities, every effort has and will be made to safely open the venues,” the county’s paperwork reads. “Facial coverings, physical distancing and personal responsibility are paramount in continuing to move forward to the new normal.”
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw assured the staff that his department will enforce the law, according to the paperwork.
Palm Beach County still must decide whether to clamp down on businesses that don’t abide by the mask laws. In Miami-Dade County, businesses can be closed for not complying, and Broward County is expected to pass a similar measure in the next few days, according to Palm Beach County Administrator Verdenia C. Baker.
Gov. Ron DeSantis promised Tuesday to yank licenses of businesses that violate restrictions.
Members of the public pushed back against the county commission Tuesday, telling leaders they were making a medical decision that overstepped their authority.
Some argued that God was in control and compared the government’s efforts to Fidel Castro’s communist Cuba. One woman threatened to arrest the county commissioners with a citizen’s arrest. “All of you should be in a psych ward,” she told them.
County leaders said they had to make a tough choice.
Vice Mayor Robert Weinroth, who had previously opposed the masks, changed his mind to approve them.
“I hate the idea of talking about mandatory face coverings,” he said. “It goes against my grain. I think it’s a mistake. But the numbers we saw this week are out of this world.”
He said officials need to act to keep the coronavirus from turning into a wildfire and shutting down businesses again.
Commissioner Melissa McKinlay said the law regulates vehicle speeds, alcohol purchasing and even wearing clothes in public.
“I am concerned about the health of this community,” said Commissioner Gregg Weiss. “There is nothing more important than their safety. … We have to take action.”
To live with the virus, he said, requires physical distancing, and when that’s not possible, a mask.
“We were hoping we wouldn’t have to do this,” he said after the commission vote. “It’s a step to take to try to slow the spread.”
The Florida Department of Health added 3,286 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday morning, lifting the state’s total to 103,503 people who have tested positive. In Palm Beach County, 237 new cases were reported Tuesday, bringing the total to 11,180. A total of 489 have died, eight more since Monday.
Lisa J. Huriash can be reached at lhuriash@sunsentinel.com or 954-572-2008 or Twitter @LisaHuriash
