Mayor Muriel Bowser just announced stricter guidelines about the city's mask mandate.

Effective immediately, D.C. residents must wear face coverings whenever they leave their homes. The news was part of a mayoral press conference and situational update this afternoon.

Citing the agreement of officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the District of Columbia Department of Health, and the World Health Organization, the order declares mask-wearing a key component of preventing the spread of COVID-19. The order will remain in place until October 9, 2020, or whenever the state of emergency in D.C. is lifted, whichever comes later. Residents can be fined up to $1,000 per incident for refusing to comply.

Exceptions to the new guidelines include:

  • Children aged 2 or younger
  • People medically unable to wear a mask
  • People working indoors in an enclosed office
  • People who are actively eating, drinking, swimming, or exercising vigorously
  • Situations in which a deaf or hard of hearing person must be able to read the lips of a speaker 

Other instances in which you can remove your mask include public speakers who are at least six feet from bystanders and workers whose safety equipment would be hampered by a face covering. Basically, you'll need to keep your face mask handy right next to your house keys from now on. 

For more information about the mayoral order, read the full document here.

What are your thoughts on these new enhanced guidelines about wearing face masks in D.C.? Are they too strict, or just what we need during these uncertain times? Sound off in the comments!