On Thursday, September 17, Pinellas County Commission voted unanimously to extend the county’s local coronavirus emergency ruling.
The county has ruled that face coverings in public must stay put. County commissioners are expected to revisit the face covering mandate Thursday, October 1.
Commissioners pointed out that due to the ease of inter-county travel within the Tampa Bay area, it should be a regional decision, not a decision for Pinellas County to make on their own.
On Wednesday, September 16, CDC Director Robert Redfield told the Senate Appropriations Committee that wearing a mask could be more effective than a coronavirus vaccine.
“If I don’t get an immune response [from a COVID-19] vaccine, it’s not going to protect me. This face mask will,” Redfield said.
The City of Gulfport has two walk-up mask distribution sites: One is inside the Public Works Office at the 49th Street Neighborhood Center, 1617 49th St. S. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The other is located through the side entrance of the Gulfport Casino Ballroom, 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Monday through Friday from 1 to 8 p.m.
For a current listing of countywide locations of mask distribution sites, click here.
For more information, including when and how to properly wear a mask, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
