Board Will Vote Monday on Requiring Facial Coverings in All County Places of work – Kane County Connects

The Kane County Board is expected to vote in a special session Monday on a resolution requiring face-covering and social distancing in all county offices.

The special meeting will take place on Monday (December 21, 2020) at 9:45 a.m.

According to an agenda posted on the Kane County website, Resolution No. 20-493 would require all employees or visitors to wear masks and maintain a social distance of 6 feet “in any building or office owned or owned by County Kane is inhabited by her “.

The chairman of the Kane County Board issued an Emergency Public Health Statement under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, 20 ILCS 3305/11, on March 17, but the county had passed no resolution regarding the wearing of masks in public buildings.

If the decision is adopted, it would contain exemptions for workers who have no interaction with members of the public and if those people’s workstations are more than 6 feet from another person’s workstation, those under the age of 2: aAnyone unable to remove a mask without assistance or with sensory, cognitive, or behavioral problems that affect their ability to properly wear or tolerate a mask.

The resolution would go into effect immediately and remain in effect until the state of Illinois no longer receives a disaster declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The full resolution is shown below.

RESOLUTION: NO. 20-493

REQUIRED FACIAL COVERAGE AND SOCIAL DISTANCE IN COUNTY OFFICES AND BUILDINGS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

COVID-19 is a novel severe acute respiratory disease in humans that can spread through the air through breath or aerosol transmissions such as coughing, speaking, and sneezing. and

COVID-19 puts certain populations of people at higher risk, including older adults and those with serious chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease, at risk of developing serious illness, including possible death. and

On March 9, 2020, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker issued a Disaster Statement regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in Illinois. Since that time, Governor JB Pritzker has issued Executive Orders extending the disaster declaration and implementing various “Stay at Home” and other orders to slow the spread of COVID-19 and prevent the burden on the health system. and

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a pandemic. and

In response to the pandemic, the Chairman of the Kane County Board issued a public health emergency statement under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, 20 ILCS 3305/11, on March 17, 2020, and on March 24, 2020, which The Kane County Board approved and approved added resolution 20-103 to this statement. and

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) and the Illinois Department of Health have recommended that people 2 years and older should wear masks in and around public facilities should be carried from outside their household as their use reduces the spraying of breath droplets when worn over the nose and mouth; and

Face covering is part of mitigation efforts to prevent the spread of

COVID-19, as recommended by the CDC and all individuals should follow CDC recommendations for wearing and removing a mask. The CDC also recommends that people follow proper hand washing hygiene, keep a social distance of two meters from others, avoid touching their nose or face, and wash cloth masks regularly.

Therefore, the Kane County Board must NOW RESOLVE that anyone who works, visits, or does business in a County of Kane building or office should maintain social distance and wear face covering for the duration of their stay in that building or office Office and outdoors on the property of such a building or office.

“Face covering” means a unitary piece of material that securely covers a person’s nose and mouth and remains in place, in accordance with CDC guidelines, without the use of hands, whether store-bought or homemade.

“Social distancing” means maintaining space between you and other people by staying at least 6 feet (about two arms) from other people. and

THEREFORE, YOU WILL FURTHER RESOLVE that the following are exceptions to the resolution:

a. Individuals who work in a building or office owned or operated by County Kane where such individuals do not interact with members of the public and where those individuals’ workstations are more than six feet from another person’s workplace;

b. Persons under two years of age;

c. Anyone who has difficulty breathing; anyone who cannot remove a mask without help; or those with sensory, cognitive, or behavioral problems that affect their ability to properly wear or tolerate a mask. Reasonable provision will be made for anyone with a disability that prevents them from wearing or tolerating a mask.

d. People eating or drinking;

e. Public safety, fire safety and other life safety and health personnel, as the requirements for personal protective equipment are regulated by the respective authorities; and

NOW IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution remains in effect and is necessary to reduce and protect community transmission of COVID-19 until the State of Illinois is no longer exposed to a Disaster Proclamation due to the COVID-19 pandemic from County Kane workers, residents, and visitors; and

NOW, IT WILL FURTHER DECIDE that this resolution be construed as an update to the Kane County Human Resources Handbook until the state of Illinois is no longer exposed to a disaster proclamation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adopted by the Kane County Board on December 21, 2020.

SOURCE: Kane County Board Agenda Package

Stay safe this holiday season