Sand Springs passes mandatory mask ordinance

The Sand Springs City Council unanimously voted 6-0 to approve a mandatory mask ordinance at a special meeting Monday evening at the Case Community Center.

Ordinance 1359 states that “persons located within all City of Sand Springs public buildings, Public Service Areas of Place of Public Accommodation or an Education Institution are required to wear face coverings at all times when present therein.” Furthermore “persons in any Public Setting wherein social or physical distancing cannot be maintained are required to wear face coverings.”

The ordinance exempts persons who have medical or mental health conditions or developmental disabilities, children under 10 years of age, restaurant patrons while they are eating or drinking, people walking or exercising in outdoor communal space (while physical distancing is maintained), people who are undergoing dental or medical treatments, swimmers, occupants of personal vehicles or private homes, patrons of gyms (while physical distance of six feet from other patrons is maintained), and offices and workplaces that are not Public Service Areas (so long as physical distance is maintained). Religious facilities are encouraged to require masks, but will not be forced to do so.

Even in outdoor settings, masks will be required if you are in close physical contact with individuals from outside of your household. Even in gyms, masks will be required if you are not actively exercising.

The ordinance defines a “face covering” as a covering that fully covers a person’s nose and mouth, and includes but is not limited to cloth face masks, towels, scarves, face shields, and bandanas as recommended by the CDC, or OSDH, an N95, KN95, or other mask that would be appropriate for a health care setting, or a surgical mask. The face covering should fit snuggly on a person’s face, but allow the person to breathe easily and be worn consistently with the guidance provided by the CDC or OSDH.

There are currently 291 active cases in Sand Springs, marking fourteen-consecutive days of increase. Four Sand Springs residents have died in the past eight days, and the city’s death toll is at 11 since the pandemic began.