CLEVELAND — Mask up, Cleveland.
That's the message from Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, who has issued a mask advisory effective immediately for all indoor spaces through Jan. 31.
It's important to note, however, this is not a mask mandate.
“An advisory is a recommendation strongly encouraging residents to wear a mask at all indoor facilities,” Mayor Bibb’s office told 3News in an e-mail Friday morning. “This is in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 as indoor activities are starting to increase."
The advisory will be reassessed on Feb. 1.
Cleveland City Hall first announced the mask advisory on their Facebook page early Friday morning: “Wear a mask and get vaccinated or boosted today."
Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish offered the following statement in response:
I am pleased that Mayor Bibb is issuing a mask advisory for the City of Cleveland, which will complement the County’s current mask advisory. The cold weather has pushed us all indoors and masks are critical when in enclosed spaces—they are an effective barrier against getting COVID.
While it appears our COVID positivity numbers are going down right now, this is NOT the time to let up. We’ve seen how this virus can mutate and shift as it’s done for almost the past two years. I applaud Mayor Bibb for his dedication to keeping residents safe and businesses open and encourage everyone to continue practicing preventative measures—masking up, social distancing, and getting vaccinated.