They’re calling it Mask Up, Newark.
If you don’t wear a mask in an outdoor public space in Newark, police will give you a summons.
It’s part of the "Mask up, Newark!" promotion from the mayor and public safety director, and it comes after an executive order from Governor Murphy. The governor's executive order on masks excludes children younger than 2-years-old, those partaking in some sports activities, people who are eating and drinking, as well as those with underlying health conditions.
The spaces covered in the order include outdoor bars, beaches, boardwalks, and recreational businesses that have opened their outdoor areas.
Newark officials are asking for people's cooperation, emphasizing that curbing the spread of the virus is a matter of public safety that impacts everyone.
Newark Deputy Police Chief Jose Gonzalez said that everyone's cooperation "has been one of the biggest factors in our success" of curbing the spread.
Nearly 70 volunteers with the City of Newark are serving as "ambassadors," handing out flyers reminding residents that wearing a mask is a matter of respect and responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19.