New regulations pertaining to businesses and residents have hit Milpitas as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold…
On Wednesday, April 22, with the support of the City Council, the City of Milpitas’s Emergency Services Director instituted face covering regulations. These will kick in on the morning of Friday, April 24, at 8am.
Essential businesses that remain in operation amid ongoing shelter in place regulations now have to provide their employees with face coverings for their mouths and noses. The law allows for cloth coverings including bandanas and scarves, and the City’s Office of Economic Development mentioned in an email notice that “N95 and surgical masks should be preserved for medical workers and first responders.”
The face covering requirement needs to be followed by healthcare operations (per the County’s definition), grocery stores, farmers’ markets, food banks, convenience stores, restaurants, gas stations, hardware stores, bicycle shops (repair and supply), plumbers, electricians, exterminators, laundromats, dry cleaners, funeral homes, taxi companies, rental car companies, rideshare services, and professional services such as legal, notary, or accounting when they provide essential services in-person.
A key part of the law is that the City requires customers to wear face coverings, too, whenever they enter businesses—so long as they are over 6 years old.Â
“Face coverings,” the notice went on to add, “do not eliminate the need for social distancing and regular handwashing.”
Those who do not comply will face citation, but law officers are proceeding with the mindset of educating people first in the course of initiating enforcement actions. In addition, economic hardship, if provable, can aid people in making a case against citations.Â
Businesses are encouraged to aid in compliance efforts by printing and posting this document. Businesses can also refuse entry and/or service to customers/visitors who don’t comply.Â
The order can be read in full here.
