Coronavirus

Actions

City of Cleveland to hand out masks, not tickets, if they see informal gatherings

Posted
and last updated

CLEVELAND — Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson announced a new initiative that would involve officials handing out masks instead of tickets when they see informal gatherings.

City officials want residents to be aware that casual parties are contributing to serious infections.

The city has seen a downward trend in new cases since the mask mandate was put into place and they hope that this will help contribute to that.

Jackson said the city wants people that are having parties to know they are the main source of spread and infection in the county.

The mayor said officials are trying to get the message out through public service announcements but stressed police won't be going into your homes.

"Of course we are not going to go into people's homes or into their yards and enforce mask ordinances in that aggressive way but we are going to be developing an approach and a protocol that will really deliver the message to people in private settings," Jackson said.

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.

Rebound Northeast Ohio News 5's initiative to help people through the financial impact of the coronavirus by offering one place to go for information on everything available to help and how to access it. We're providing resources on:

Getting Back to Work - Learn about the latest job openings, how to file for benefits and succeed in the job market.

Making Ends Meet - Find help on topics from rent to food to new belt-tightening techniques.

Managing the Stress - Feeling isolated or frustrated? Learn ways to connect with people virtually, get counseling or manage your stress.

Doing What's Right - Keep track of the way people are spending your tax dollars and treating your community.

We're Open! Northeast Ohio is place created by News 5 to open us up to new ways of thinking, new ways of gathering and new ways of supporting each other.

Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Ohio, a timeline of Governor Mike DeWine's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Northeast Ohio, and link to more information from the Ohio Department of Health, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the CDC and the WHO.

See data visualizations showing the impact of coronavirus in Ohio, including county-by-county maps, charts showing the spread of the disease, and more.

The CDC and the Ohio Department of Health are now recommending the use of cloth face coverings in public to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Read more about the CDC's recommendation here. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make a face maskfrom common household materials, without having to know how to sew.

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.