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ORDINANCE NO. 2020-009 WHEREAS, based on advice from medical professionals, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indian River County will increase exponentially if additional measures to stop or slow the spread of COVID-19 are not instituted; and WHEREAS, the County's hospitals and doctors in our community have expressed concern that over the past month, hospital admittance for COVID-19 has had a significant increase; and WHEREAS, the CDC and Florida Department of Health continue to remind residents that by wearing a face covering, the resident protects others from exposure as well as themselves; and WHEREAS, additional steps are needed to minimize the spread of COVID- 19 in response to the recent spike in positive COVID-19 cases and hospital admittances; and WHEREAS, per CDC guidance, persons working in restaurants and businesses frequently come into close contact with members of the public and thus have a greater risk of spreading COVID- 19. Wearing face coverings will significantly help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Indian River County; and WHEREAS, on June 26, 2020, the County Administrator issued Emergency Order No. 20-15 concerning face coverings; and WHEREAS, in determining whether to enact this Ordinance, the Board considered information received from the Department of Health, the University of Florida, the State Surgeon General, the CDC and other health care providers and medical professionals regarding challenges raised at this point in time by COVID-19; and WHEREAS, on July 7, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20- 166 extending the state of emergency declared in Executive Order 20-52, as extended by Executive Order 20-114, for an additional 60 days; and WHEREAS, Indian River County is still under a local state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic; WHEREAS, on July 10, 2020, the state court judge declined to strike down Leon County's mask ordinance, enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus; and WHEREAS, the number of COVID-19 cases in Indian River County have increase from 216 cases on June 15, 2020 to 1,112 cases on July 10, 2020 and 1259 on July 13, 2020; and WHEREAS, the number of deaths related to COVID-19 in Indian River County as of June 15 was 12 and that number has increased since then to 21; and WHEREAS, adopting face covering requirements via ordinance, as opposed to local emergency powers, would permit enforcement through civil citations and fines instead of criminal prosecution as a second-degree misdemeanor. 4