Department of Justice Warns Against ‘Fraudulent’ Face Mask Exemption Cards

In their statement, the Department of Justice made it clear that they were not behind the cards, nor did they endorse them.

“The Department of Justice has been made aware of postings or flyers on the internet regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the use of face masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of which include the Department of Justice’s seal,” the statement read.

“These postings were not issued by the Department and are not endorsed by the Department,” the statement continued. “The Department urges the public not to rely on the information contained in these postings and to visit ADA.gov for ADA information issued by the Department.”

As states continue the process of reopening, some are seeing a surge in new coronavirus cases, and many government officials are requiring that people wear protective face coverings in public.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced a new statewide mandate on Tuesday, which requires masks in indoor settings, as well as outdoor settings if social distance rules cannot be maintained. Individuals who violate the mandate will face a misdemeanor charge.

"I think of these face coverings, in some sense, as a statement," he said during a press conference. "It's a statement that when you wear it, it means you care about people, because it means you want to reduce the risk that you are going to infect another person."

Residents in Connecticut, California, Delaware, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York and Illinois are also required to wear masks in public.

In a recent study, researchers found that the risk of transmission went down 85 percent when people wore a mask, and that N95 masks did the best job of reducing the spread of the virus spread.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.

Source: Read Full Article