Mask mandate violation citations to begin in Pocatello in 10 days
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POCATELLO — The city’s 30-day “education period” for its mandatory face-covering ordinance will expire in less than two weeks.
In a live Facebook video posted Friday, Mayor Brian Blad warned Pocatello residents that those who do not comply with the ordinance will be subject to citation and a potential $50 fine.
“We all need to do what we can to slow the spread of COVID, and give our medical professionals some breathing room,” Blad said in the video.
The grace period will expire Monday, Dec. 21.
Pocatello City Council passes mask ordinance that includes fines if you don’t wear one
There are exceptions written into the mandate, though. Children five years of age or younger are not required to wear face coverings. Neither are people who medically cannot tolerate a mask, or who are hearing impaired or communicating with someone who is hearing impaired. Likewise, residents out for a walk or bike ride are not required to wear a mask, so long as they remain socially distance from non-household members.
A complete list of exceptions along with answers to other frequently asked questions are available at pocatello.us/coronavirus.
During the video, Blad also referred to the recent spike in cases both statewide and locally.
Nearly 120,000 Idahoans, he said, have or have had COVID, and more than 10,000 of those cases are from southeastern Idaho.
In Bannock County alone, there have been more than 5,000 cases, meaning, he said, one in 20 people living in the county has tested positive since mid-March 2020.