Masks Now Required in St. Louis City and County in Public Spaces

Well, the time has come. Since the best protection against the spread of COVID-19 is wearing masks, they’re now required in public spaces in St. Louis city and county.

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson announced this afternoon via livestream that all St. Louisans will now be required to wear a mask in indoor public spaces, starting Friday, July 3, 2020 at 7 a.m. (though she urged residents to start wearing masks now.)



What qualifies as an “indoor public space,” though? Krewson used examples like retail stores, hardware stores, grocery stores and gas stations. She also said that you must wear a mask when you’re at the gym.

She notes just a few exceptions to the mask rule and said you can skip covering your face when you’re at a table in a restaurant and in a dentist’s chair, for example.

Mayor Krewson said it’s also mandatory to mask up outdoors in spots where social distancing is not possible.

When questioned about how these regulations will be enforced, Krewson said, “I think a lot of the enforcement will be done by the public, frankly.”

Acting on the recommendation of the medical experts on #STL Metro Pandemic Task Force, @STLCityGov will join @SaintLouCo beginning Friday, July 3 in requiring masks or face coverings be worn in indoor facilities at all times and outside when #SocialDistancing is not possible.

— Mayor Lyda Krewson (@LydaKrewson) July 1, 2020

In the past week we’ve shattered our records for increase in daily cases in Missouri, with 527 new cases in the state just yesterday. As of this writing, there have been 22,429 cases and 1,044 deaths from COVID-19 in the state.

Graphs show that our infection rates are skyrocketing and a blanket requirement of masks across the area should take the guesswork out of trying to figure out if you need to wear a mask in a particular neighborhood or store.

The announcement comes just before the holiday weekend when many people will be traveling, but masks are not yet required in every area of the state yet because Missouri Governor Mike Parson continues to be the actual worst.

Krewson managed to finish her livestream without broadcasting the names and addresses of St. Louisans calling for police reform, though she did end the stream with a short apology for her doxxing of activists last week.

For more information on COVID-19 in St. Louis, keep an eye on the City of St. Louis Department of Health website.

If you don’t already have a mask to wear, the Centers for Disease Control website offers directions for making your own face covering, including designs that do not require any sewing.

Email the author at jaime.lees@riverfronttimes.com

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