JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming has approved a countywide mask mandate with some exceptions in Teton County during the coronavirus pandemic.
State Health Officer Alexia Harrist signed the order Monday, hours after the Teton County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a resolution for the mandate, the Jackson Hole News & Guide reported. Her signature was required to make the order law.
The mandate is in effect through July 31 and defines a mask as “a covering made of cloth, fabric, or other soft or permeable material, without holes, that covers the nose and mouth and surrounding areas of the lower face.”
Residents of Teton County must now wear masks inside of or in line for any retail or commercial business, when obtaining health care, and when using public transit or riding in a private, commercial vehicle, such as a tour bus.
Under the order, people who have a physical or mental health reason to not wear masks are exempt and do not need to provide documentation for their condition. People under 18, people eating at restaurants or working out at gyms are also exempt.
Businesses in the county must also post notices stating that face coverings are required. Employees, owners and volunteers at retail or commercial businesses will be required to wear masks.
The order Harrist signed was the third major iteration of the document after lawyers from the attorney general’s office and the Teton County attorney’s office made revisions over multiple drafts.
The mask mandate is intended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the county.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.