Mayor Mason: Be Careful with Outdoor Activities

ZANESVILLE – Zanesville Mayor Don Mason is impressed with how businesses including tattoo parlors, salons, and other non-essential establishments are abiding by social distancing before re-opening. For folks who want to go ahead and enjoy outdoor activites, he shared these tips:

“I want to stress, when possible, carry your own kerchief, your own mask. If you’re playing tennis or basketball (and) things of that nature, remember to try and participate with people you’re normally familiar with, accustomed to living with and, again, personal responsibility of hygiene – cleaning your hands, wearing your mask, things of that nature continue to be important,” Mason said.

Although businesses and parks are starting become available to residents, people don’t need to be gun-ho and re-immerse themselves in the public right away. He explained the idea of “self-quarantine” which is different than “isolating” someone who has the virus.

“That actually means staying at home; not going to the mall, not going to shopping centers. I think people thought self-quaranting meant something like just don’t go to work. It’s a little more comprehensive. It means, again, monitoring yourself (and) making sure you are staying removed from others. Quarantining is when a healthy person stays away from others. Isolation is when a person has tested positive for COVID and they stay away from others,” Masons said.

Mason believes that residents will continue to be cautious and he said people over the age of 60 or who have a respiratory condition should be extra careful when going back out into the city,” Mason said.