The City of Austin and Travis County have extended their shelter at home orders to May 8th.
The new order also says residents have to wear face masks now. Austin’s Mayor Steve Adler said, this will make sure if you have Covid-19, you don’t spread it to anyone else.
Local leaders added this new order carries the force of law, meaning you could get a ticket for not wearing a mask. But he added, this is not something that law enforcement can tackle. Adler and the Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt say, this has to be an effort backed and policed by the community.
The shelter at home order also tells what businesses and industries can still continue working during the Covid Crisis. This new order added fabric stores to the list of essential businesses. That way more people can make there own face masks.
Austin Travis County Health officials say folks who don’t interact with alot of people on a daily basis don’t need medical grade face masks. They say you can use typical household products like bandanas, t-shirts, and strips of cloth to fashion their own.
Famous actor Matthew McConaughey made a how to video to help people put a home made mask together. You can watch that video by clicking here.
