Effective July 7, Washington customers must wear a mask or be refused service at businesses. | Getty Images
Effective July 7, Washington customers must wear a mask or be refused service at businesses. | Getty Images
After a recent surge of COVID-19 cases, Gov. Jay Inslee issued an order to Washington businesses to refuse service to patrons who are not wearing a mask effective July 7, KLEW News reported.
Businesses that fail to enforce the order could face fines or even forced closure.
“We are looking for educational compliance with that through Asotin County Sheriff's Department we're not taking criminal issue with that, but we are trying to look for compliance,” Asotin County Sheriff John Hilderbrand told KLEW News.
People with health conditions and certain disabilities, including people that are deaf or hard of hearing, are exempt from having to wear a mask. Children under the age of two are also exempt. Children between the ages of three and five are advised to wear a covering if possible and children age 5 and above must wear a face covering, KLEW reported.
The nearby cities of Moscow, Hailey and Boise have already implemented similar emergency mask orders when in public places.
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