Seminole County issues face-covering order for residents, visitors as coronavirus cases climb

WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. — Seminole County leaders announced Monday that they will enact a mandatory face mask policy countywide after the number of COVID-19 positive cases continue to rise.

The mandate goes into effect July 1, and requires employees and customers to wear a face covering if they go into an establishment where they may not be able to be six feet apart.

Watch: Keeping track of Central Florida face mask mandates

Seminole County officials said they at one point flattened the curve, but once businesses opened back up and socializing started up again COVID-19 came back with a vengeance.

Since June 22, Seminole County has seen between 115 and 233 new positive cases a day.

Watch the full Seminole County new conference here:

That's why the county is following other counties and cities by instituting the order.

According to the order, all employees, patrons and customers living, visiting or doing business in Seminole County are required to wear a face covering.

There are some exemptions including at outdoor businesses or other outdoor public places, those under 2 years old, persons exercising, those eating or drinking and those who would be impaired due to an existing health condition are also exempt.

Read: Orange County surpasses 10,000 total COVID-19 cases as Florida reports statewide increase of 5,200 cases, 28 deaths

Other exemptions are for workers not interacting with the public and who can maintain a distance of 6 feet form co-workers.

Officials said people from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation will be out monitoring businesses during this order and could close a business down if they are blatantly ignoring the order.

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