City of Miami Mayor Now Requires Restaurant Workers and Delivery Drivers to Wear Face Masks

Yesterday, City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez mandated that all visitors and workers inside restaurants must wear masks or face coverings at all times. The mandate also applies to workers and customers in delivery services, grocery and convenience stores, pharmacies, gas stations, and any other essential commercial establishments. The requirement went into effect at midnight on Wednesday.

This new ordinance follows the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that encourages people to wear cloth face coverings or masks in public settings. Coverings that are acceptable include traditional face masks, or cloths that cover the face from the nose down like scarfs or bandannas.

Suarez told The Miami Herald that the order will be “coupled with increased enforcement” even though he doesn’t expect fines to be issued yet. He hopes businesses enforce the rule on their own, and if not, they could be fined or even shut down. Fine rates haven’t been disclosed.

While this mandate covers City of Miami residents, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez hasn’t made it a requirement, only going as far as urging residents to wear masks, but not making it mandatory. In a Tuesday night, commission meeting he noted that, “There are some issues there that concern me,” he said. “Our attorneys have some concerns about that face-mask issue.”

Other cities throughout Miami-Dade county have issued a similar mandate including Miami Beach and Aventura.

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