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City council meeting of January 18, 2022 (Item No. 8c) Page 2 Attachment B Title: COVID-19 face covering policy options Discussion Background: The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has continued to increase its rate of infection to record levels. While there is less severity with this variant, hospital capacities continue to be challenged due to the larger numbers of patients impacted by the virus. What remains consistent is most hospitalizations are unvaccinated adults and pediatric patients. While there are marginally fewer beds in use today than just 30 days ago, bed capacity coupled with staffing shortages are creating an unprecedented crisis within healthcare. De ath rates statewide continue to decline. Hospitalizations and deaths have always lagged a couple of weeks behind infections, so a portion of those infected today will impact hospitals two weeks from now. The forecasted dramatic reduction in the rate of infection due to the evolution of the virus, which appears to be near, will provide significant relief for hospitals within weeks. There is optimism amongst many experts that Omicron is evolving into the type of virus that can be more easily controlled through standard mitigation efforts. At the study session on Jan. 10, 2022, council discussed three policy options and their impacts: •Continue city’s practice of supporting masking without passing a resolution or emergency ordinance •Adopta resolution strongly encouraging community masking •Adoptan emergency regulation mandating community masking (draft was based on what was passed in 2020) Staff relayed information on the previously experienced challenges of enforcing a mask mandate for the public, both in city facilities and in community, along with the need for lead time before implementation of a possible mandate. Council members expressed their expectation that city staff members proactively educate members of the public who enter city buildings without a mask but do not take additional action unless the situation has escalated. Ultimately,the citycouncil decided to table the discussion until the Jan. 18, 2022 council meeting. Present considerations: Just as last week, there are three policy options before the council to consider: •Continue city’s practice of supporting masking without passing a resolution or emergency ordinance •Adopt a resolution strongly encouraging community masking •Adopt an emergency regulation mandating community masking (updated draft included in council packet) The draft Emergency Regulation has been updated from the version council reviewed last week in three ways: 1.Language updated to more closely reflect areas of local control 2.Implementation date changed to Friday, Jan. 21 (providing two business days for communications and to allow businesses and multifamily residential buildings to post signs) 3.Expiration date changed to Feb. 22, 2022