Hillsborough County Reduces Age For Mandatory Masks To 5 Years

TAMPA, FL - Hillsborough County kids age 5 years old and up will have to get used to wearing face masks. On Thursday, the Hillsborough County Commission voted 5-2 to amend its mandatory face mask ordinance, extending it to children as young as 5.

The Hillsborough Emergency Policy Group voted in June to mandate that residents wear face masks inside all county businesses, effective June 24.

A week later, the EPG adjusted its mandate, exempting children under 8 years old, extending the order to nonprofits that operate thrift stores and removing the criminal penalties faced by businesses as long as they make attempts to get customers to comply.

After dissolving the EPG earlier this month and taking on the handling of emergency measures during the coronavirus pandemic, the county commission is reconsidering some of the decisions made by the EPG since it first began meeting in March.

The Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group is made up of three county commissioners, the mayors from the cities of Plant City, Tampa and Temple Terrace, the sheriff and the chairman of the school board.

Originally, the face mask order applied to all children over the age of 2. But after receiving a barrage of emails and phone calls from parents complaining that their toddlers refused to keep a mask on, Temple Terrace Interim Mayor Andy Ross proposed raising the age to 8.

At Thursday's meeting, the commission decided to lower the age to 5 based on a recommendation by The American Academy of Pediatrics. This also puts the county in line with the Hillsborough County School District's mandatory mask rule, which applies to children in kindergarten.

Commissioners Sandy Murman, Stacey White and Ken Hagan opposed the amendment.

The commission also received optimistic news from Dr. Doug Holt, director of the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County. Following an all-time high positivity rate of 14 percent, the county has slipped down to a 7.2 percent rate for the past seven days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that areas have a rate of 5 percent or below of people testing positive for the coronavirus for 14 days straight before loosening restrictions.

Because the county hasn't reached the 5 percent threshold, several commissioners expressed concern about Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Addison Davis' announcement Thursday that brick-and-mortar schools would reopen on Aug. 31. The school district previously moved the opening date to the end of September.

In the meantime, activity at the county's free coronavirus testing sites continues to be brisk. Through Tuesday, the county had administered more than 90,000 coronavirus tests at its community sites.

Beginning Friday, Hillsborough County residents will be able to receive free testing for antibodies to the coronavirus.

The state-run site at Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway, will offer 200 antibody tests a day, which indicate whether the person has antibodies associated with a past infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.

The site also will offer self-administered coronavirus tests. Those receiving an antibody test will also take the self-administered coronavirus test at the site.

Emergency Management Director Tim Dudley said, due to a decrease in the demand for coronavirus testing, the days and hours of operation at three public testing sites are being scaled back.

Beginning Monday, Aug. 17, testing sites at the Lee Davis and Plant City Community Service Centers will be Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The testing site at the SouthShore Community Service Center will be open Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tests for coronavirus - but not antibody tests - will continue at the following locations:

• Lee Davis Community Resource Center, 3402 N. 22nd St., Tampa
• Plant City Community Resource Center, 307 N. Michigan Ave., Plant City
• SouthShore Community Resource Center, 201 14th Ave. SE, Ruskin
• USF Health Therapy building, 3515 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa
• Tampa Family Health Centers, 12085 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa
• Suncoast Community Health Centers, 313 S. Lakewood Drive, Brandon
• Redeemer Lutheran Church, 701 Valley Forge Blvd., Sun City Center
• Wimauma Opportunity Center, 5128 S.R. 674, Wimauma

Appointments are required for the tests. To make an appointment online, click here or call 888-513-6321.

The next special meeting of the Hillsborough County County Commission to address emergency management issues related to the coronavirus will take place Thursday, Aug. 20, at 1:30 p.m.

See related stories:

• Hillsborough Officials Reconsider Impact Of Face Mask Order
• Hillsborough County Commission Votes To Disband Emergency Group