Orange County residents required to mask up

Starting Saturday (6/20) everybody who goes outside on Orange County will be required to wear a face covering to slow the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings signed an executive order requiring everyone to wear a mask starting at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Demings signs mask order

The mask requirement is a big step backward as Orange County and the rest of Florida had relaxed many of the tough measures imposed this spring when officials issued stay-at-home orders as the deadly pandemic ripped across the nation.

After the orders lifted recently and people ventured out to shopping and work, some people ignored warnings to wear masks.

Now the number of Covid-19 cases is starting to soar again with 3,200 new cases reported in Florida. Nearly 86,000 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Florida resulting in more than 3,000 deaths, 48 deaths in Orange County.

Data shows that this deadly disease disproportionally harms black and brown people, especially those with chronic illnesses. Recently there are reports of between a half dozen to 10 children attending summer recreation programs in Parramore had to be sent home because they had been exposed to Covid-19.

The Demings order requires employees and customers in businesses to wear face coverings if they come within 6 feet of each other. Customers in a restaurant or bar can remove their mask to eat and drink, but they must wear a mask when they enter, and servers must wear a mask.

Additionally, businesses have been instructed to prevent customers from entering unless they are wearing a face covering.