An order requiring the use of face masks by people in public places in Laramie County will take effect Monday.
Wyoming Public Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist on Friday signed the order prepared by Dr. Stan Hartman, Laramie County’s public health officer, requiring those in the county to wear a face mask any time they are outside their homes, with a few exceptions.
The order is modeled on one issued by Teton County officials in July and was drafted in the face of rapid increases in the number of coronavirus cases see in Laramie County in the last few weeks. As of Thursday, Laramie County had 624 active coronavirus cases, compared to 326 two weeks earlier.
On Oct. 20, the Cheyenne-Laramie County Board of Health directed Hartman to draft an order for the mandatory use of face masks in public settings.
The order requires mask use for anyone inside a retail or commercial business or government facility open to the public, anyone obtaining health care services and by anyone waiting for or riding on public transportation.
All staff members of retail and commercial businesses and government facilities must also wear face masks when working with the public, the order said.
The order does not apply to those seated at tables in restaurants as long as people at the table sit at least 6 feet apart. It also does not apply to minors or those who have a medical condition that might prevent them from wearing a mask.
Under state law, a violation of public health orders is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or a 1-year jail sentence.
