Daytona Beach to require residents to wear face masks starting Sunday

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach passed a mandate Friday that requires residents to wear a face mask.

The mandate will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Sunday.

Officials said warnings will be issued to residents who choose not to wear a mask until the city develops penalties.

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The city is the first in Volusia County to pass a face mask mandate. However, the county is urging residents to wear a mask whenever they go out in public.

The county is launching its Step Up Volusia campaign to encourage people to wear a mask when they cannot practice social distancing.

Step Up Volusia encourages people to wash up, back up and mask up to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

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Mayors in Volusia County said they feel wearing a mask could help, but outside of Daytona Beach, most people do not want to make it mandatory yet because they feel it would be impossible to enforce.

“With the surge in numbers, the health crisis that is besetting our community, I think it is important that we go ahead and establish the importance of all that live in our city and visit our city be as safe as possible,” Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry said.

The county’s Step Up Volusia campaign will kick off Monday.

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Cox Media Group