Commissioners move forward resolution to support mask wearing throughout Centre County
When Penn State students return to campus this fall, Centre County leaders hope they will be welcomed by a community that encourages, practices and enforces mandatory masking and follow suit.
“When we don’t wear the masks, we are really threatening the progress we’ve made as a community, especially when the students return,” Commissioner Michael Pipe said. “When we have the Penn State students returning, it is going to be very important that we, as a community, demonstrate and model good behavior.”
The board of commissioners is set to approve a resolution that encourages the continued wearing of face masks to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 — following a motion to move the item to next week’s consent agenda. Centre County has seen a steady decrease in its number of cases, but the pandemic still poses a threat across Pennsylvania, Pipe and Commissioner Mark Higgins said.
Commissioner Steve Dershem was not in attendance at Tuesday’s board meeting.
As states shut down in response to the coronavirus, communities witnessed climbing unemployment numbers and business closures. While the county has maintained its “green phase” status of Gov. Tom Wolf’s reopening plan, the commissioners reminded residents that could change if precautionary behaviors are relaxed and strict restrictions are put in place.
While some believe wearing a mask is an “infringement on their freedom,” Pipe said the mandate will create more freedom to venture out to businesses permitted to reopen.
“We’ve all been used to no shirt, no shoes, no service now for decades; that was more of a basic hygiene situation,” Higgins said. “With masks, it’s going to save lives. It might not be yours, but it could quite possible be a loved one or a next-door neighbor.”
The 5-page resolution endorses the state mandate that masks be worn in businesses, calls on residents and workers to continue wearing face coverings and thanks businesses that have enforced health guidelines. If adopted at next week’s meeting, the board will send a copy of the proposal to all 35 Centre County municipalities — encouraging each to pass similar resolutions or, if permitted, ordinances.
Both the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the wearing of cloth face masks while in public or areas where social distancing measures cannot be maintained. This recommendation is based on how the disease spreads — through respiratory droplets — and emerging evidence from clinical and laboratory studies that show face coverings reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth.
“Wearing a mask — either cloth or paper — on your face is a little inconvenient and annoying, especially when it’s warm outside,” Higgins said. “The research has come in. We’ve got different states doing different things, and for the most part, states that are requiring masks when you visit businesses are seeing stable to dropping diagnoses of COVID-19.”
The commissioners are set to approve the resolution next week and have asked for feedback to be emailed to boc@centrecountypa.gov.
