New Mask Mandate Issued By Cook County Public Health Officials

CHICAGO — Public health officials announced a new indoor mask mandate that applies to most of suburban Cook County Friday, the same day Chicago's mandate takes effect.

Starting Monday, the order from the Cook County Department of Public Health requires everyone aged 3 and up to wear a mask in all public places. That includes bars, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, commercial buildings and retail stores.

"We are in a dangerous period, with the Delta variant surging, during which we must return to previous remediation measures,” said Dr. Rachel Rubin, the department's senior medical officer and co-lead, announcing the new order. “We have no choice but to mandate that people wear masks indoors to help contain this spread of the virus.”

The new order defines indoor public space as any common space in a multi-unit residential business and any non-residential building.

Masks are also still required on public transportation and in health care and congregate living settings, in accordance with recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The more-contagious delta variant made up more than 99 percent of the COVID-19 cases in the county that were genetically sequenced from Aug. 4 to Aug. 18, according to data from the public health department.

"As the virus changes, we need to adapt our guidance and recommendations to keep residents safe,” said Dr. Kiran Joshi, the other chief medical officer and co-lead of the department. “This variant is highly contagious and represents over 90 percent of our recent cases. We must act now."

The Cook County Department of Public Health department covers 127 municipalities in Cook County — all of them except Chicago, Oak Park, Evanston, Skokie and Stickney Townships.

Chicago issued an indoor mask mandate earlier this week. Earlier this month, the Oak Park Public Health Department issued its own indoor mask mandate, which applies to all businesses, and Evanston Health and Human Services Department issued a mandate inside city-owned facilities and recommended masks be worn indoors elsewhere. Skokie also recommends, but does not require, masks in public places.

The seven-day rolling average number of new COVID-19 cases detected in suburban Cook County reached 409 on Aug. 14 and stood at 390 on Friday, according to the department. That average peaked at 595 in the state's third wave of the virus.

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All businesses open to the public are required to post approved signs notifying people that masks must be worn. The signs must be posted at all entrances and prominently within the establishment, according to the order.

Related: 51% Of Patch Readers Oppose Mask Mandate, Survey Says

"Masks may be removed at restaurants, bars and other eating/drinking establishments by patrons when they are actively eating/drinking while stationary," according to the order. "Masks can also be removed for certain activities that require their removal, such as beard shaves or facials."

Religious organizations and local, state and federal governments are exempt from the order.