On June 19, 2020, Mayor Kate Gallego and the members of the Phoenix City Council, in a vote of 7 to 2, ordered the wearing of face coverings in the city of Phoenix effective Saturday, June 20, 2020.
“Community spread is accelerating in Arizona at speeds that should concern everyone,” says Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “It will take the entire community coming together to protect all who live, work and play in our city. Scientists say wearing a simple face covering is something we must do to slow the spread – and Phoenix is listening.”
On June 17, 2020, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey issued an executive order providing that Arizona cities may adopt policies regarding face coverings in public for the purpose of mitigating the spread of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Arizona Department of Public Health recommend wearing face coverings when interacting with others outside the home, especially when many people are present, to prevent spreading COVID-19.
According to the CDC, one method of transmission of the virus is through respiratory droplets that people expel when they breathe, cough, or sneeze. People who are asymptomatic, or have mild symptoms, can still be contagious.
The city of Phoenix finds that wearing a face covering, in combination with physical distancing of six feet, and frequent hand-washing, may reduce the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus when in public and engaged in necessary activities.
The face-covering requirement applies to all people six years of age and older in the city of Phoenix, when they leave their home or residence and are within six feet of another person who is not a family member or member of their household. There are exceptions for those who should not wear a face covering due to a medical or mental health condition, for those whose religious beliefs prevent them from wearing a face covering, for restaurant patrons while they are eating, among others. Please see the city’s Face Covering Fact Sheet for specific requirements at phoenix.gov.
