Officials in Texas are advising residents to wear face coverings while inside their homes in hopes of slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management is recommending that Texans wear masks not only outside but also inside their homes, according to News 4 San Antonio.
“We still need people to wear the mask out in public, we still need people to keep social distance and isolation,” said Nim Kidd, who is the agency’s chief, on Thursday. “The one thing I want to try to get across today is we need to do that when we’re in our homes also.
“As you know, I’m a life-long San Antonian, grew up there, worked there for many years and I know how many multi-generational families that we have,” he continued. “While we believe the community is doing a great job of following the rules when they are outside the home, we really need to be thinking about doing the same thing when we’re inside the home.”
Kidd stopped short of calling for a mandatory face mask requirement inside homes but suggested that people need to be more aware of the dangers of inviting family members over.
“Have you done the things to protect yourself and your family when you’re at home, and when you have extended family coming to stay with you, are you doing everything you can to protect them and yourself from this virus?” he asked.
Kidd’s recommendation comes as cities and states across the country, including this week in Texas, have begun imposing face mask requirements in public places in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but is opposed by critics who cite data that shows outdoor transmission of influenza-like viruses is virtually zero and studies that show cloth face coverings aren’t effective.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a federal face mask requirement late last month calling the move “long overdue.”
