Before Brown County’s health officer could announce more mask-wearing requirements here, the governor made it mandatory for the whole state.

An executive order on wearing a mask in almost all public settings went into effect for all of Indiana on July 27. All states surrounding Indiana also have statewide face covering ordinances.

“Face coverings can and will help us blunt this increase,” said Gov. Eric Holcomb at his weekly COVID-19 press conference. “It has in other states and in other countries around the world.”

Face coverings are required for anyone 8 or older in the following places:

• public indoor spaces and commercial entities;
• while using public transportation or other vehicle services such as a taxi or ride share; and
• outdoor public spaces when it’s not possible to socially distance from people not in the same household.

Local governments may impose more restrictive guidelines. However, the Brown County Commissioners had not chosen to pass any rules, and the Nashville Town Council decided earlier this month to allow businesses to make their own choices about masking.

The governor’s new statewide mandate supersedes the town’s “required where posted” ordinance.

On July 21, the day before Holcomb made his announcement, Brown County Health Officer Dr. Norman Oestrike discussed a mask mandate for all restaurants and grocery stores with the Brown County Board of Health and received support from members.

“There has been a recent jump in cases that correlates with the economy reopening, and that will only get worse as the schools reopen, too,” Oestrike said. “We’re going to see an explosion of this disease if we do not act.”

Social distancing and the use of masks is what has helped to deter the spread of COVID-19 in many European countries, Oestrike said.

He acknowledged that some residents feel as if a mask mandate infringes upon their rights and freedom, but that at this point, mask-wearing is a public safety issue rather than a political one.

“If we don’t do something, then we will have a lot more deaths than we already have,” he said. “And people will remain defiant unless there is a rule.”

Health board member Linda Bauer agreed with Oestrike, saying that local food establishments need government support in order to enforce public health guidelines properly.

“When you recommend something, people become defiant,” she said during the discussion about mandating them in restaurants and grocery stores. “But, if you require it, they’re reluctant to follow but do it,” she said.

“These businesses need some backbone from us, also, so that they can tell people, ‘We were told to require this’ rather than a ‘recommendation.’”

Oestrike said that in the past months, some food service establishments in Brown County had not been following the health board’s recommendation to require masks.

“It bothers me immensely that people cough on the produce in grocery stores and are not required to wear a mask,” he said.

A mask or other face covering may be factory-made, sewn by hand, or improvised from household items such as scarfs, bandanas and T-shirts. The mouth and nose should be covered.

“I think that people will cooperate as long as we have a collective policy procedure for the health department,” Oestrike said.

The governor’s order has exceptions for medical purposes, disabilities, exercising, and eating and drinking. The full executive order was posted to the state’s website on Friday.

What about enforcement?

“We are not trying to be punitive with this mandate, but rather we are trying to protect everyone,” Oestrike said, while the county mandate on food establishments was still in development.

Holcomb said the state’s approach to enforcing the statewide face covering requirement will emphasize educating people rather than punishing them.

However, he said during the Wednesday press conference that disregarding the mandate could be charged as a Class B misdemeanor.

Local law enforcement agencies have not received any guidance on enforcement, Sheriff Scott Southerland said.

On Friday, when the governor’s executive order was posted, it did not contain any language about a criminal penalty. Holcomb did not elaborate on why the language was different than his announcement, the Indianapolis Star reported, adding that many Republican sheriffs throughout the state had announced the would not enforce the rule.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Brown County Sheriff’s Department had received 12 to 15 calls that day about whether officers were going to enforce masks or not, Southerland said.

He is discouraging people from calling the sheriff’s department to report mask violations.

“The last thing we need is people calling dispatch reporting their neighbors are not wearing masks, because it can be so busy up here dealing with serious issues,” he said.

What about schools?

Holcomb’s order also requires face coverings for any student in third grade or above, and for all faculty, staff and volunteers that enter the school.

Masks will also be required for any extra-curricular activities with exceptions for strenuous physical activity.

Younger children ages 2 to 7 are also strongly encouraged to wear a face covering. In a Facebook Live video on Thursday, Brown County Schools Superintendent Laura Hammack explained that this was because younger students are less likely to carry and transmit the virus, according to the governor.

Hammack also said during the video that a safe start to school on Aug. 5 is still plausible despite this mandate. She assured viewers that the school system has more than enough personal protection equipment and disinfectant materials to ensure a clean environment for staff and students, including spray bottles, disposable masks and disinfectant wipes.

“That is one advantage of being a smaller county,” Hammack said. “We can get all of the supplies we need.”

During the video, Hammack clarified that all students riding a school bus to or from school will be required to wear a face covering, and that any adult entering a school will also be required to do so. However, according to Hammack, teachers may take off their mask if their teaching area is at least six feet away from students and they maintain social distancing.

“As always, if there are any concerns amongst a student in a classroom about things like this, we can make accommodations,” she said.

Registration for schools will be open next week. Every parent that comes to a school to register will be required to wear a mask and go through a screening process, which includes a temperature check, Hammack said.

If a student is opting for remote learning, their yearbook photos will be taken during registration as well.

Open houses will no longer be offered for parents of students, however, if a person wants to get a tour of a certain school or speak with staff before enrolling they can schedule an in-person appointment, Hammack said.

Hammack also clarified that remote and in-person learning will both be available to students and that there is still time for parents to change their decision regarding forms of education. She said that if a parent wants to shift their mode of education, they should notify the school as soon as possible.

“We are connecting staff to students immediately,” Hammack said. “We encourage you to call us and let us know of that decision.”

Hammack reassured parents that the remote learning experience offered to students who want to socially distance will be a “high quality educational experience.”

“I am not saying that it is going to be perfect,” she said. “But it is a gift. It is a gift that we get to come back to school.”

During the video she also clarified that even if a student does decide to go fully remote for their learning, they will still be able to participate in athletics and extra-curricular activities.

During his press conference, Holcomb said that this is a time-sensitive situation now with schools returning to in-person instruction next month.

In order to avoid going back to a previous stage of the state’s reopening plan, and to attempt to avoid prolonged school closures which can put working parents in a bind, he and several state doctors at the July 22 press conference urged all Hoosiers to abide by the new rules.

“The best practices are best for all,” Holcomb said.