The Birmingham City Council will vote Friday morning on a measure that will extend the deadline on the city’s mask ordinance to June 12.
Birmingham remains the only city in Alabama that requires people cover their nose and mouth when in public. The ordinance was first approved by the council on April 28 and went into effect May 1. It’s set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Friday.
Daily case counts have increased in the last week, according to data from the Alabama Department of Public Health. Jefferson County added twenty more cases in today’s report from ADPH.
See coronavirus case counts here.
Council President William Parker said more testing is needed throughout the city and says wearing masks can help to combat community spread of COVID-19.
“When you wear a face covering while you are out in public, that is an intentional act of kindness because you’re helping to protect those around you,” Parker said. “We can’t legislate morality, we just want our citizens to understand the importance of covering their face when they are in a public space. We’re all in this fight together. So please, let’s help keep each other safe while we are out there supporting our local businesses that are beginning to reopen their doors to the community.”
The ordinance defines a mask as “a device to cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of saliva or other fluids during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other intentional or involuntary action.”
It doesn’t require the masks be medical-grade, just that they cover the wearer’s nose and mouth.
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