Tinley Park Requires Coronavirus Face Coverings Starting Friday

TINLEY PARK, IL — Residents and visitors in Tinley Park will be required to wear a face covering in public starting Friday to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, village board members decided Tuesday night.

The requirement, which allows for some exceptions, was approved 4-2 as a resolution during a special board meeting. It is to remain in effect until May 21 or the state ends its disaster declaration.

The face coverings will be required at all essential businesses that have remained open and will apply to both employees and customers, according to the adopted resolution.

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However, this does not apply to everyone going outside their home. Exceptions are listed for those engaging in outdoor activity "such as walking, running, biking or other solitary physical activity," "riding alone in a personal vehicle," "alone or with household members in a separate single space" and "when doing so creates a greater health, safety or security risk to the individual."

Exceptions are also made for people who are eating or drinking.

The resolution cites a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation issued earlier this month advising people to wear cloth face coverings while in public. A number of other municipalities near Chicago, such as north suburban Evanston, had already adopted similar measures.

Beginning Friday, businesses in Tinley Park will have to post a notice requiring the face coverings. If a customer does not comply, the resolution says, the police department should be notified and a warning is to be issued.

"Persons not following this declaration who previously received a warning from the Village of Tinley Park Police Department may be issued a citation for violation ... or arrested at the discretion of the Chief of Police or his designee," the resolution states.

Trustee Bill Brennan at first said he could go "either way" on the resolution but in the end voted in favor of it.

"If we were to just save one life, it would be worth it," he said.

As of Tuesday in Illinois, there were more than 30,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the state and more than 1,200 deaths reported. Tinley Park had at least 100 confirmed cases as of Tuesday.

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