{"id":2457752,"date":"2020-04-27T20:56:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-28T02:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/aspen-to-become-a-face-mask-state\/"},"modified":"2020-04-27T20:56:00","modified_gmt":"2020-04-28T02:56:00","slug":"aspen-to-become-a-face-mask-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/aspen-to-become-a-face-mask-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Aspen to become a face mask state"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image p402_hide\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/masksinaspen-atd-042220-11-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/masksinaspen-atd-042220-11-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/masksinaspen-atd-042220-11-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/masksinaspen-atd-042220-11-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/masksinaspen-atd-042220-11-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/masksinaspen-atd-042220-11-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption><strong>Two friends take a stroll on Rio Grande Trail wearing masks in Aspen on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/><em>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">Beginning Wednesday, it will be mandatory to wear a face covering in Aspen city limits when people are in indoor and outdoor places and are unable to maintain a 6-foot social distance from one another.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">That\u2019s according to a resolution passed by Aspen City Council during a <a id=\"N0x13e66b0N0x13c97e0:N0x13e66b0N0x15c0170\" href=\"https:\/\/d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net\/cityofaspen\/f404d3e0-867a-11ea-99b9-0050569183fa-da76106a-2e02-4fe6-bbb2-ae71e53e957b-1587769210.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">special meeting Monday<\/a><i class=\"fas fa-external-link-alt\"><\/i>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The new law will be in effect until at least May 27, when council will revisit the public health order, which is designed to slow the spread of COVID-19.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Aspen is following Glenwood Springs\u2019 lead. Elected officials in that city required face coverings for all essential activities outside people\u2019s home effective April 7. That law was extended on Monday until May 1.<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"row at-donation at-donation-mobile p-0\" readability=\"7\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\" onclick=\"handleDonationButtonClickMidArticle()\">Donate<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The concept was first introduced by Councilman Ward Hauenstein <a id=\"N0x13e66b0N0x13c9840:N0x13e66b0N0x15c03b0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/city-of-aspen-considers-mandatory-face-mask-public-health-order\/\">last week<\/a> and was bantered by council, with some members expressing concerns over supply and enforcement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI see face masks as the new normal as we reopen,\u201d Hauenstein said Monday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">While the city is working on a <a id=\"N0x13e66b0N0x13c98a0:N0x13e66b0N0x15c0560\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cityofaspen.com\/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=287\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">volunteer-based mask producing effort<\/a><i class=\"fas fa-external-link-alt\"><\/i>, Aspen Police Chief Richard Pryor expressed on Monday concern that public safety officers do not have enough masks themselves.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cPolice officers will be putting themselves in a position of potentially some higher exposure and to be able to do that, we need our own supply of masks to be able to do that safely,\u201d he said. \u201cI just wanted to be clear in that our supply of (personal protective equipment) is somewhat limited. We have fewer than 200 masks at the police department.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Council members amended the resolution passing the law, with an emphasis on providing facial covering for public safety officers as a priority.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Pryor noted that the city\u2019s program has given out 200 masks to area businesses and members of the public; 80 were homemade; 150 will be available on Tuesday and 2,000 ski buffs are coming in the next couple weeks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Councilwoman Ann Mullins said requiring masks for everyone levels the playing field.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cAny vendor or any retail establishment could refuse someone without a mask and that\u2019s their call,\u201d she said. \u201cI think what this will do for them is enable them to actually do that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI\u2019ve talked to a lot of different people who really didn\u2019t want to allow people without mask, but without some type of ordinance behind them, they don\u2019t really feel they could say anything and this is what this is doing is saying, OK, you can achieve that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Councilwoman Rachel Richards concurred, noting that as an employee at City Market she is required to wear a mask but it feels like a disconnect when customers do not.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cFar too many people aren\u2019t wearing masks in the grocery store,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Council member Skippy Mesirow said he also is concerned about supply, as well as societal and psychological shifts in the community by wearing masks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cCovering one\u2019s face is a deeply personal thing,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a community that is made on hugs and smiles \u2026 and covering faces all across town is going to feel eerie, it\u2019s going to feel creepy and it\u2019s going to affect the way people interact. And I think that\u2019s something that frankly we may have to accept in order to get things rolling again and re-emerge as a connected community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Mayor Torre said mandating facial coverings has generated mixed reviews from his constituents, but it\u2019s a necessary step in protecting public health.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI know that this is not for everybody,\u201d he said. \u201cBut this is how we\u2019re going to act quickly now to get to reopening Aspen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The city will approach the enforcement of the new law by education and warnings. If further enforcement is needed, a fine structure is in place.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Not wearing a face covering is subject to a $50 fine for the first offense; $250 for the second; and a mandatory court appearance for any subsequent offense and a fine of as much as $2,650.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a id=\"N0x13e66b0N0x13c9900:N0x13e66b0N0x15c0e60\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/prevent-getting-sick\/cloth-face-cover.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recommends that masks<\/a><i class=\"fas fa-external-link-alt\"><\/i> should fit snugly against the side of the face, are secured with ties or ear loops, and include multiple layers of fabric.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The city\u2019s new law includes ski buffs, which are similar to neck gaiters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:csackariason@aspentimes.com\">csackariason@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/aspen-to-become-a-face-mask-state\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two friends take a stroll on Rio Grande Trail wearing masks in Aspen on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times Beginning Wednesday, it will be mandatory to wear a face covering in Aspen city limits when people are in indoor and outdoor places and are unable to maintain a 6-foot [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2457752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-17 22:33:45","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2457752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2457752"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2457752\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2457752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2457752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2457752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}