Alexandria City’s Face Mask Requirement: More Stringent than Governor’s Order

Is your community association located in the City of Alexandria in Virginia?  Effective October 1st, Alexandria imposed its own face covering requirement that is more stringent than the Governor’s Executive Order (EO-63).

With a few exceptions, Alexandria’s new law requires individuals age 11 and older to wear a proper face covering in places that are “generally open to the public.”  For indoor public places, this includes (for example) retail stores, food establishments, theaters, and businesses providing personal care and personal grooming services.

This requirement also applies to outdoor public places where physical distancing requirements cannot be maintained between persons not living in the same household – examples of outdoor public places include public parks, open spaces, sidewalks and trails. Of particular interest to condominium associations is that this new law specifically defines “common areas of condo or apartment buildings” to be a “public space” for purposes of wearing a mask.

The various exceptions to this face covering requirement relate to (i) those with certain disabilities, (ii) exercising or playing recreational sports, (iii) eating or drinking, (iv) work conditions making it unsafe, (v) receiving certain governmental or medical services, and (vi) for participating in religious rituals.

Unless amended by City Council, this law is expected to expire with the expiration of the City’s COVID-19 local declaration of emergency.

For additional information, see Alexandria’s website.

Federal, state and local responses to COVID-19 are changing quickly. We encourage associations to monitor relevant government websites and this page for further updates.

Legal Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be legal advice. Legal advice must be tailored to the specific facts and circumstances of each case and each association’s governing documents. Also, it is not intended to be a full and exhaustive explanation of all legal considerations, nor should it be used to replace the individualized advice of your legal counsel.