Face masks outside, in cars, in stores: Where you’re expected to wear a covering

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As the US prepares to reopen, cities, counties and states across the US are taking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation to wear a face mask or face covering out in public one step further. They’re making it mandatory to cover up, enforceable in some places by a fine or arrest if you’re not wearing your face mask where you should be.

Earlier this month, the CDC changed its guidance on nonmedical masks, urging the general population to wear them as a “voluntary health measure.” Homemade face masks and coverings may not be able to prevent you from acquiring the coronavirus, a respiratory pathogen, but they are thought to block larger particles from the coughs, sneezes or saliva of asymptomatic people. In other words, wearing a nonmedical covering is to protect others from you, and not the other way around.

The seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak — with over 999,000 confirmed cases in the US and over three million worldwide — is prompting some local governments to make wearing masks obligatory. If everyone wears one, the logic goes, every asymptomatic carrier can help prevent transmitting the virus, which has caused over 208,000 deaths globally.

Where do you have to wear a face mask or covering?

So far, all of the mandates are requiring people to wear masks when going to essential businesses, hospitals and using public transportation. These are places where there are crowds of people, making social distancing much more difficult.

Do I have to wear a face mask outside on a walk, bike ride or jog?

If you’re outside on a walk or riding your bike, you don’t have to wear a face mask, according to the states’ orders. However, if you’re within city limits, some orders say that you should bring a cloth covering with you in the event that you pass someone else at close range or decide to go into a shop. It’s possible you could also be stopped and cited.

This is because you’ll likely be around other people on the sidewalk and can expose them to the virus (or vice-versa). If you’re exercising outside, it’s best to choose an area that doesn’t have much pedestrian traffic, like your neighborhood or outside of the city.

Do I have to wear a face mask in my car?

The mandatory face mask orders don’t extend to your car. However, they still apply to situations where you’re within six feet of someone outside your household. 

Should children wear face masks?

Most of the counties and states with mandates suggest that children wear face masks when going to essential businesses, starting between the ages of 2 and 9. It isn’t recommended for children who have breathing problems or who are under the age of 2 to wear a face mask.

However, some areas like San Francisco, say that kids between the ages of 3 and 12 are not required to wear a face mask. And if they do, they need to be supervised by an adult. Whereas states like Maryland make it a requirement for children ages 9 and older to wear cloth coverings.

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Where are face masks mandatory?

Residents of New York, California, Maryland, Texas, Illinois, Connecticut, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Hawaii and Oklahoma are now required to wear face coverings in public areas. That means they will need to cover their nose and mouths with a homemade or purchased mask, a scarf, a bandana or similar.

California: Five counties in the San Francisco Bay Area are now required to wear face masks when they go out in public. San Francisco has similar requirements, but only when its residents are entering essential businesses, when using public transportation and seeking healthcare. The mandate is also in effect in Los Angeles, but it is not immediately clear if it’s being enforced.

New York: Last Friday, the state of New York’s face covering order went into effect in places where social distancing isn’t possible, like public transportation. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the order will be enforced, but residents aren’t yet being fined.

Maryland: On April 15, Gov. Larry Hogan signed an order for Maryland residents to begin wearing face coverings in food and retail establishments and when taking public transportation. The order says this will be a requirement as long as the state of emergency is still in effect.

Pennsylvania is the most recent state to enforce an order for wearing face masks inside essential businesses. Those who aren’t wearing masks will be denied entry into the business.

Hawaii now has a face mask mandate for those who go out in public. If anyone violates the mandate, they can face up to a year in jail or a fine up to $5,000.

New Jersey was one of the first states to mandate face masks to be worn while in essential businesses and public transportation.

Connecticut residents must now wear face masks when out in public places where social distancing isn’t possible, including essential workplaces.

Michigan residents are now required to wear a face mask in enclosed public areas, like the grocery store. All