Palm Springs requiring business’ workers and customers wear face covering
The City of Palm Springs issued a new order on Monday that will require essential businesses to comply with Riverside County's order which mandates all employees and customers must wear a face covering, effective
immediately.
Visit KESQ.com/Coronavirus for the latest local updates
As part of Palm Springs' order, all businesses will be required to post signage reinforcing the requirement to residents before they enter.
Face coverings can be bandanas, scarves, neck gaiters or other clothing that does not have visible holes.
The Palm Springs City Council will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, April 14 to update residents on numerous coronavirus related issues, including face coverings, public trails and parking, and vacation rental enforcement.
Residents and businesses are able to submit comments to the City Council electronically to cityclerk@palmspringsca.gov. Transmittal prior to the start of the meeting is required.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m.
Residents will also be able to provide public comments to the
Council over the telephone by calling the City Clerk's Office at (760) 323-8204. In order to be added to the comment queue, you can't call any later than 6 p.m.
City officials also announced that in the next few days, the City will begin an awareness program to educate residents and business owners about the importance of always wearing a face covering in an essential business open to the public, where the virus can spread quickly.
“We are taking this seriously,” said Chief of Police Bryan Reyes. “Palm Springs worked hard early on to get ahead of the virus and flatten the curve, but if residents and businesses become complacent, we will find ourselves in a terrible situation that did not need to happen and lives may be lost. Everyone must wear a face covering -- and violators may be fined."
Palm Springs has the strictest fines among the Coachella Valley cities. Fine amount vary from $5,000 to $25,000 depending on the number of times you have violated the order.
Read: Palm Springs implements stricter fines for violating emergency orders
The City of Palm Springs has the second most positive cases in the Coachella Valley with 70. Indio has the most cases with 79. However, Palm Springs is tied with Riverside for the most deaths in Riverside County (8).
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.
Here are some of the other emergency orders issued by the State and Riverside County:
- Governor’s stay at home order
- Closes all non-essential businesses
- The order is in place until further notice
- Residents, including essential workers, must wear a face covering when going out
- Face coverings can be bandanas, scarves, neck gaiters or other clothing that does not have visible holes.
- Order is in place until April 30
- No gatherings of any number of people may take place outside of family members residing in the same home.
- No gathering order does not apply to essential businesses, including healthcare offices, grocery stores or gas stations.
- Order is in place until April 30
- All churches, temples, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship are prohibited from all in-person gatherings, this includes drive-in religious services.
- Short-term lodging restrictions
- The order limits short-term home rentals, hotels and motels to restrict business to coronavirus response only
- Order is in place until June 19
- Golf courses closed
- Applies to both public and private clubs
- Schools closed
- In effect until June 19, 2020
