‘This is no longer a debate’: Florida sheriff bans deputies, visitors from wearing masks
Marion County, Fla., Sheriff Billy Woods has forbidden his deputies from wearing masks. (Marion County Sheriff's Department /Marion County Sheriff's Department)
By
Tim Elfrink
August 12, 2020 at 3:32 a.m. EDT
On Tuesday, as Florida set
a daily record for covid-19 deaths, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods prohibited his deputies from wearing masks at work. His order, which also applies to visitors to the sheriff’s office, carves out an exception for officers in some locations, including hospitals, and when dealing with people who are high-risk or suspected of having the novel coronavirus.
In an email to the sheriff’s department shared with The Washington Post, Woods disputed the idea that masks are a consensus approach to battling the pandemic.
“We can debate and argue all day of why and why not. The fact is, the amount of professionals that give the reason why we should, I can find the exact same amount of professionals that say why we shouldn’t,” Woods wrote in the email, which was first reported by
the Ocala Star-Banner.
A majority of epidemiologists and other health experts say
face masks and social distancing are key to slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has ravaged Florida. The state,
which has recorded more than 542,000 cases and more than 8,600 deaths, added
277 more deaths on Tuesday; Marion County also
set a record for daily deaths on Tuesday, with 13.
At least 161,000 people have died from coronavirus in the U.S.
Police nationwide have faced scrutiny over inconsistent use of masks by officers,
even in large cities like New York and Philadelphia where face coverings are mandatory. Many large departments only suggest officers wear masks,
ABC News recently found, while those that require them, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, make exceptions for incidents where masks might impede officers in the line of duty.
Woods is among the first law enforcement officials to outright ban masks for his deputies, though.
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