Brantford, Ont., has extended its mandatory face-covering bylaw amid the COVID-19 pandemic for at least for the next two months.
During a virtual council meeting on Tuesday night, the city approved extending the current bylaw, which went into effect on July 17, until another review in November.
The legislation requires a face covering in enclosed public indoor spaces and public transit.
There are exceptions, including children under the age of two; kids from three to five who can’t be persuaded by a caregiver to wear a mask; anyone who can’t use a mask without assistance; those with medical conditions that inhibit their ability to wear a face-covering; workers behind physical barriers or in non-public areas; and first-responders acting in the course of their duties.
“I think we’re looking at a challenging fall and winter, which means we need to use every tool in our arsenal until the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us,” Mayor Kevin Davis said during Monday’s online meeting.
“I would hate to see us in a situation where we need to lock down again, so it’s important we practise every preventative measure at our disposal to protect each other and keep each other safe.”
Brant County reports no new coronavirus cases
Brant County’s health unit reported no new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. The region holds at 176 cases with 10 active cases.
The region has no current outbreaks.
Public health says over one-third (35.8 per cent) of all cases in the county involve people between the ages of 20 and 39.
Five people in the county have died with COVID-19.