BELL COUNTY, TX — The Bell County Health District is recommending people use cloth masks in public.
In accordance with CDC guidelines, the Bell County Health District is recommending the wearing of cloth masks in public as a way to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Wearing cloth coverings over the mouth and nose in public settings is an appropriate personal safety measure at this time, particularly at grocery stores, pharmacies, or other places where social distancing measures may be difficult to maintain.
The recommendation is that the face coverings are simple in nature (i.e., a bandana or face covering fashioned from household items) and that children under two not wear a mask for their safety.
“I urge Bell County residents to continue to practice the social guideline recommendations that are in place. Personal hygiene measures, along with aggressive, active practicing of social distancing still remain the best defense against mitigating both the impact and the duration of the virus,” Bell County Judge David Blackburn said. “This new recommendation from the CDC on wearing cloth masks in places like the grocery store or Walmart furthers those efforts.”
While Bell County does not have significant community-based transmission at this time, the Health District still asks residents to observe this recommendation in an effort to be as responsive as possible to slowing the virus.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event that will require action on the part of every person in order to mitigate the spread,” Dr. Amanda Robison-Chadwell, Director of Bell County Public Health District, said. “New knowledge about COVID-19 has informed this CDC recommendation, and I urge citizens to follow the recommendation”
It is important to note that the recommended cloth face coverings are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators, which are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidelines.
