Wearing a face mask, along with other preventative measures like regular hand-washing and social distancing, help slow the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Anecdotally, Mill Valley residents and visitors have significantly stepped up their usage of face masks In recent weeks. But in the midst of a global health pandemic, as we juggle lives that continue to be turned upside down, sometimes people run out the door without their mask, show up at their retail or restaurant destination, and put that establishment in a predicament: a much-needed transaction amidst economic disaster, or rejecting a customer due to lack of compliance with a public health order?
There’s also the new enforcement strategy approved this week by the Marin County Board of Supervisors, an education-first approach that County officials said that eventually could lead to fines of up to $500 for an individual and up to $10,000 for a business.
To directly confront that conundrum, the Mill Valley Chamber and the City of Mill Valley’s Emergency Preparedness Commission have teamed up to launch #MaskUpMV, a campaign to supply local restaurants, retailers and businesses with black, cotton, 3-ply masks that meet health and safety standards and are emblazoned with the Mill Valley logo that the Mill Valley Chamber commissioned renowned artist Michael Schwab to design in 2016, with text encouraging mask wearers to “Enjoy Mill Valley Safely.” The masks will be individually wrapped for sanitary purposes and given to local businesses to provide to their customers without masks.
The campaign will kick off in early August, with masks distributed to local businesses in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
Mill Valley businesses: let us know if you’d like us to provide you with mask by emailing us here!