If you live in Lucas County expect to be wearing a mask at most places you go starting at 6p today Friday July 17. Governor Mike DeWine made the announcement yesterday which means residents are required to wear masks in public spaces. Part of the reason is the number of daily cases has quadrupled in the last three weeks and emergency room visits have doubled. Exemptions to the mandate include children under 10 and those with medical conditions that make wearing a mask unsafe.
The mandate requires you to wear a mask indoors in any public business. Many businesses already require mask usage and Kroger, Starbucks, WalMart, Taget, CVS are now or soon will be requiring masks to enter their stores nationwide.
The city of Toledo passed legislation on Tuesday requiring mask indoors which now puts Toledo, Lucas County, and Wood and Allen Counties under mandatory mask guidelines. Nearly half of the state of Ohio is now required to use face masks when inside public businesses.