MA Coronavirus: Complaints Spike With Mask Order, Nice Weather

BEVERLY, MA —On Sunday, a "sweaty man" in a green cycling shirt was riding his bike on Bridge Street in Beverly. He was "huffing and puffing" and not wearing a mask. Within minutes, an open note to the man was posted on a Facebook group for Beverly residents.

"Do you know we are in a pandemic?" a woman who saw the man wrote. "I could smell your breath as you rode by because you were so close."

For a lot of Massachusetts residents, the weekend's nice weather meant time outside and catching up on yard work. For others, it meant heading to social media to debate when face coverings should be worn and to out people seen as violating last week's face covering order by Gov. Charlie Baker.

An earlier advisory from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health calls for face coverings for anyone over the age of two when people are inside or outside and social distancing is not possible. Some towns, including Salem and Peabody, have enhanced the state order by calling for fines for people who do not wear face masks in public. Others towns, like Marblehead, are recommending people wear face coverings whenever they go outside.

"As the weather improves and we are out and about, we strongly encourage everyone (over 2) to wear a face covering when outside, even to exercise," the Marblehead Board of Health said in an advisory Saturday. "If you are exercising and need to remove your face covering to breathe adequately, make sure no one is near you before removing it. Keep the face covering readily available so you can put it back on quickly and properly if someone comes within 6 feet of you."

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Never mind that Baker's order doesn't even go in effect until Wednesday, or that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says face covering help people infected with the new coronavirus who are not showing symptoms from spreading the virus. The 255 comments left on the Facebook post in Beverly suggests people are divided on who should be wearing masks and when and they're not afraid to share their opinions.

"If you are afraid to get sick then it’s your responsibility to stay home. This is getting pathetic," one respondent wrote. Others questioned whether the woman who posted the complaint was complying with a Beverly advisory that pedestrians walk on the side of the street that puts traffic to their right.

Previously on Patch: Love Thy Neighbor? It's Not Always Easy In A Coronavirus Pandemic

"Has anybody on here actually read the order from Governor Baker? It is not required to wear a mask outside at all times. It is totally okay and permissible to go for a run, or ride your bike without a mask, another respondent wrote. "My impression from the original post is that it is highly exaggerated and dramatic."

More Coronavirus Coverage On Massachusetts Patch:

• State Needs To Increase Coronavirus Testing To Safely Reopen
• CDC Data Suggest Coronavirus Death Count Higher
• Many MA Residents Still Waiting For Coronavirus Stimulus Checks
• Coronavirus Case Counts For Every Massachusetts Town (Updated April 29)

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).