Hillsborough commissioners reduce minimum age for mask-mandate

Hillsborough County commissioners voted to make two minor changes to the county’s mask ordinance Thursday, simplifying the process of keeping it in force while lowering the minimum age of those required to wear them.

The face-covering order was put into place by the Emergency Policy Group in June as part of the effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. Initially, it applied to everyone over the age of 2, but at the request of Temple Terrace vice-mayor Andy Ross, the minimum age was later raised to 8.

But after the Board of County Commissioners inherited the order and duties of the EPG last week, the voted 5-2 to lower the minimum age back to 5 years old.

Language in the initial version of the mask order also required the group to renew it every week.  The county commission did away with that part of the order as well, instead tying the mask order to the state of emergency.

The board will still vote on extending the state of emergency each week, but they will no longer have to vote separately on the mask order.