Dayton-area residents react to potential indoor mask mandate

DAYTON — The City of Dayton will be deciding tomorrow whether to put a new indoor mask mandate in place.

City commissioners will vote on a proposal at their meeting Wednesday evening at 6 p.m.

>> RELATED: Dayton City Commission to vote on indoor mask mandate Wednesday

The city previously put a mask mandate in place last summer. It was one of the first communities in Ohio to do so on July 1, 2020.

The mandate was in place for 10 months before the city lifted it in May.

If the new indoor mask mandate passes, the city says it would require a mask for anybody six years or older, regardless of vaccine status, in indoor spaces that are open to the public.

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The ordinance city commissioners will consider Wednesday night includes exceptions similar to Dayton’s last mask requirement, including not having to wear a mask while eating, drinking or exercising.

Dayton resident, Daquarious Branch, told News Center 7 he would be ok with a new indoor mask mandate in the city.

“I have a three-year-old who can’t get the shot. And I have a pregnant wife right now who’s due any day now who can’t get the shot, and I’m the only person in the house vaccinated and I have to move in and out of environments all the time,” Branch said. “So I would hope as many people could wear the mask just so people like me who want to be out here and help people can do so without the risk of taking it back home and giving it to somebody who’s more vulnerable than I am.”

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Alan Beck, who lives in West Carrollton, says he believes the mask mandate would be “a little overkill” at this stage.

“I know there are some numbers going up. But ultimately, vaccinations are out there and are available to people. If you’ve chosen at this point in time to not get vaccinated, that’s on you,” Beck said. “There are vaccines for a reason, they’re proving to be effective. If I have been vaccinated, and I have been, I don’t feel like wearing a mask is going to be effective any more than not waring a mask.”

City commissioners will vote on this new indoor mask mandate at their regular meeting tomorrow night. News Center 7 will update will provide an update on whether or not it gets approved.

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