The coronavirus mask police may soon be on patrol in Laredo, Texas.
A local ABC affiliate reported Thursday that citizens may now face misdemeanor charges and a $1,000 fine if they are caught in public without covering their faces.
The new rule requires anyone “older than 5 years old to wear some sort of mask when going out in public,” the station reported.
On Wednesday, however, Surgeon General Jerome Adams told “Good Morning America” that a discussion with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the most efficient use of masks for healthy people was ongoing.
N-95 masks, in particular, may be best allocated to medical personnel.
“[Healthy citizens] may be taking [N-95 masks] out of the hands of a health care worker who desperately needs it to care for patients,” Dr. Adams said.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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