Mask Mandates: A Public Health Framework For Enforcement

Wear a Mask and keep social distance.

Masks are now recognized as one of the most effective available tools to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This intervention decreases transmission of the coronavirus and is a readily scalable measure to ensure the public’s health. 

Although masking can protect the public from both symptomatic and asymptomatic spread, there is currently a patchwork of policies at the city, county, and state levels. Where mandates do exist, they have been effective in mitigating increases in COVID-19 cases at the city and regional level compared to those without such rules. In addition to the mandates issued at the city and county level.

With uncertainty regarding an effective vaccine and no clear therapeutic for COVID-19 in the pipeline, broad cooperation in masking is urgently needed. With little time to waste, the time for a strategic and informed enforcement strategy has come. Leveraging what’s worked in the past is critical, as several existing public health policies have a strong enforcement mechanism already in place. These include regulations on seatbelts, minimum age of drinking, and smoke-free zones in public places.