City of Lakeland Unanimously Passes Resolution
Strongly Encourages the Wearing of Masks/Face Coverings to Mitigate COVID-19
LAKELAND, FL (January 20, 2021) | On Tuesday, January 19th the Lakeland City Commission voted unanimously (7-0) on a resolution that adopted COVID-19 safety measures. The resolution went into effect immediately upon passing and it is set to expire in 13 weeks on April 19, 2021.
Within the resolution language, the City Commission recommends and urges in the strongest possible terms that all citizens, businesses and organizations within the City of Lakeland observe the following safety measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 within the community:
- Practice Social Distancing by maintaining at least six feet from others not living within the same home. This includes avoiding large gatherings and using virtual meeting technology whenever possible for business and community meetings.
- Wear a face-covering per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines in all public indoor locations where social distancing is not possible and consider wearing a face-covering when attending large outdoor gatherings.
- Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds using soap and water. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Recognize that COVID-19 transmission is taking place in non-public settings as well and take necessary precautions to avoid infecting and becoming infected by others.
- Businesses are strongly encouraged to require face coverings following CDC guidelines for all employees coming into physical contact with the public and by all customers entering a business. This is subject to exceptions for employees and customers unable to wear face coverings for health reasons, when safety, security or other business purposes preclude the wearing of a face covering.
Mayor Bill Mutz said, “The resolution is intended to express the strongest recommendation possible by the Lakeland City Commission that masks and face coverings are very important to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The resolution doesn’t impose any criminal or civil sanctions but it is a solemn call for citizens and businesses to conscientiously come together in this very atypical time.”
The City of Lakeland held a Special Called City Commission Meeting on January 11th that had the top health care officials from the area share their concerns as COVID numbers started spiking after the holidays. The COVID-19 positivity rate has averaged 15.76% in Polk County over the last 14-days. The County is now averaging 500 positive cases per day compared to 90 per day just two months ago.
Mayor Mutz, “Mask wearing is simply caring enough about other people and the economy. It is important that we beat this virus and we can by following CDC guidelines that include wearing a face covering when out in public.”
The City of Lakeland encourages the public to follow the CDC recommendations for social distancing and hygiene. The City of Lakeland has developed a dedicated webpage with a number of resources to help the community stay informed. You can find this site by visiting LakelandGov.net/COVID19.
Contact
Kevin Cook
Director of Communications
City of Lakeland
863.834.6264
Kevin.Cook@LakelandGov.net
About Lakeland
The City of Lakeland was incorporated in January 1885 and has grown to become one of the largest inland communities in Florida. With a current population of over 100,000, Lakeland continues to grow. It has been designated a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area by the US Census Bureau for over 30 years. With tourist attractions and gulf beaches only an hour away, Lakeland continues to capitalize on its ideal central Florida location along the I-4 corridor. The City owns and operates Lakeland Electric, the third-largest publicly owned utility in Florida and it was one of the first to offer power in the Sunshine State over 110 years ago.
For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please explore LakelandGov.net.
Citizens are also invited to follow the City on social media.