Governor Eric Holcomb signed an executive order on Friday requiring all Hoosiers to wear face coverings beginning Monday, July 27 at 12:01 a.m. to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
As part of the order, state and local health departments will be responsible for enforcing compliance. The executive order does not include criminal penalties.
The order will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26, unless rescinded, modified or extended by the governor.
A face covering over the nose and mouth will be required when inside a business, public building, or other indoor place open to the public. It does not include private offices, private workspaces or meetings in which six feet of social distancing can be maintained between people not in the same household. Face coverings should also be worn in an outdoor public space wherever it is not feasible to observe social distancing, and while utilizing any mode of public transportation.
There are several exemptions including children under the age of eight, any person with a medical condition which prevents wearing a face covering, any time when a mask may create a risk related to work, any person eating or drinking or is seated at a restaurant or retail food establishment, or any person while exercising or engaging in a sports activity. A person who is driving alone in a vehicle does not have to wear a mask. Exemptions also include any person giving a speech to an audience if there is a six foot social distance, and any person attending or engaged in a religious service as long as there is a six foot social distance from other people other than people in the same household.
In classroom settings, face coverings or face shields do not need to be worn during in-person educational instruction if a classroom can maintain a six foot social distance space from one another at all times. According to Holcomb, local governments may impose more restrictive guidelines.
