By Katherine Mueller
Staff Writer
As of July 12, those who do not wear face coverings in public in Manhattan Beach could potentially be fined hundreds of dollars, in efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Manhattan’s fine for not wearing a face-covering in public starts at $100, with the fines rising to $200 and $350 upon second and third violations. According to the Center For Disease Control and Prevention, when masks are used widely within public areas, they are highly likely to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
“I think it’s one hundred percent the right way to go to fine people for not wearing masks in public,” sophomore Harper Sussin said. “Wearing a mask is an easy way to prevent further spreading of COVID-19, and it’s proven to make a big difference. If people won’t wear [masks] in public […] It puts everyone around them at a greater risk.”
During the beginning of the pandemic, the use of face coverings in the United States was not encouraged for those who were not of high risk for COVID-19, in order to preserve them for essential medical workers. Now, as cases continue to rise, masks are required to protect people and their loved ones from the potentially deadly virus.
“I agree [with the fine] if it makes a difference in compliance, which it has,” Costa parent Sherry Larkins said. “We saw what voluntary support looked like, which was minimal, and our numbers reflected that. Compliance to [Public health measures] only happens initially when fines are in place and enforced.”
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