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Not Wearing A Mask? That Could Cost You $100 in Contra Costa County

shibuya246
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Creative Commons
Contra Costa is joining Alameda, Marin and Napa counties in using fines to enforce its COVID-related health orders.

Contra Costa isjoining Alameda, Marin and Napacounties in using fines to enforce its COVID-related health orders.

Contra Costa residents could be fined $100 if they don’t follow the county’s rules around masks and social distancing — and that’s just for the first violation. The county will also issue a $250 first-time fine against businesses for violations.

The fines were enacted by the county's Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

Like all Californians, people in Contra Costa are required to wear masks. The county’s orderspecifies that you must wear a mask when inside a business, or when waiting outside.

You also have to wear one while dining outside at restaurants and when you’re less than six feet away from someone.

The fines ratchet up to $500 for third and additional violations for individuals. For businesses, fines double to $500 for second violations and $1,000 for each subsequent violation.

Here are links to the Bay Area Counties' various health orders, which are frequently updated: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin: Details about enforcement are here, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma

 

Sarah Lai Stirland is a freelance journalist and editor living in the South Bay. Her reporting background is in technology, science writing, law and policy. For the past few years, she's written about issues related to aging.