Florida Keys now requires face masks inside businesses until June 2021

People in the Florida Keys must now wear a face mask at indoor businesses — or face a $500 fine, according to a new ordinance.

As coronavirus cases spike dramatically across the state, the Monroe County Commission voted Wednesday to make the protective wear mandatory until June 2021 with some exceptions, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

“Facial coverings over the nose and mouth must be worn in business establishments and other public settings where there is a roof overhead,” county spokesperson Kristen Livengood said, according to the paper.

The new rule still allows local governments in the Keys to opt out of the ordinance, and gives lawmakers a chance to reverse it every three months.

There are also some exceptions for people eating and drinking at restaurant bars and working out at gyms, as long as people maintain a 6-foot distance from others, according to the paper. Kids younger than 7 years old are not required to wear a mask.

But police officers who spot people breaking the rule can issue a fine of up to $500.

The safety restriction comes as Florida on Thursday reported the largest single-day spike in coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, and as scientists predicted the state could become the new epicenter of the pandemic.

The city of Key West had already implemented the face-mask rule prior to Wednesday, but other parts of the Keys had relaxed the requirement based on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reopening guidelines, according to the paper.