DANE COUNTY (WKOW) -- A mandatory mask order in Dane County goes into effect Monday at 8 a.m.
Face coverings will be requiredof everyone 5-years-old and up when in an enclosed space with anyone other than people they live with.
“Public health research now shows that face coverings are critical to slowing the spread of COVID-19. Given the current number of COVID-19 infections in our county, we need to all be wearing face coverings every time we leave the house,” said Janel Heinrich, Director of Public Health Madison & Dane County.
County officials say they hope everyone will step up to protect each other, so they don't have to enforce compliance.
Still, if it comes down to it, there is a $376 citation possible for violating the order in the city of Madison, or $263.50 for the rest of Dane County.
For those who don't have a mask, the county will help people get them. The emergency management department will coordinate with libraries and community centers to give out 20,000 masks. The county has also ordered 15,000 more cloth masks to share with the community. They're still working to set up those distribution sites.
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