DON’T BE A MASKHOLE! WeHo Launches Cover Your Face and Maintain Your Space Outdoor Campaign

Don’t be a maskhole! The City of West Hollywood continues to find ways to remind the community to adhere to Los Angeles County safety measures during the coronavirus pandemic and encourage individuals to continue wearing face coverings and maintaining a safe distance while out in public. Banners are going up all over the city this week with messages to cover that face and maintain your space.

There are three variations of the street pole banners with simple and direct public-health messages. Two banners, one showing a female wearing a mask and the other showing a male with a face covering, reads: “COVER THAT FACE – Using a face covering in public reduces the spread of COVID-19.”

The third banner reads: “MAINTAIN YOUR SPACE – Keeping six feet physical distance reduces the spread of COVID-19.”

The street pole banners have been designed with brightly colored green, blue, and violet backgrounds. They have been installed on 280 street light poles throughout the City of West Hollywood along commercial corridors. Digital graphics have also been added to the rotation of images and advertising on large digital billboards on the Sunset Strip and at The Gateway, as well as to digital billboards in transit shelters in West Hollywood.

The City of West Hollywood will also place 150 public service announcement yard-signs in landscaped traffic medians and public areas with Cover That Face and Maintain Your Space messages/graphics, as well as signs such as: It’s Still Safer at Home recommending that seniors and people with underlying conditions stay at home as much as possible; and Socially Distant, Civically Engaged encouraging community members to take part in virtual City meetings and events while staying safely distanced.

All campaign materials urge community members to seek up-to-date information at www.weho.org/coronavirus and to follow and opt-in to notifications on social media @wehocity on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Don’t be a maskhole.

The City released an edgy ad last week addressing “maskholes,” a name used to describe individuals who refuse to wear face coverings to protect the public. “DON’T BE A MASKHOLE!!! COVER THAT FACE!” The ad reads with a graphic of an actual ass. The ad was well received in the community and was shared all over social media. West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath, posted the ad on her her Instagram account.

In a recent COVID-19 update on Monday July 27, the City of West Hollywood reports that the city of Los Angeles County has been flattening the curve on the corona virus these past two weeks. However, the update reminds community members to not be a maskhole and continue wearing face coverings and keep a safe distance while out in public.

The City of West Hollywood has had a mandatory face covering requirement in effect since Saturday, May 23, 2020. Full text of Emergency Executive Order 2020-3 requiring face coverings is available on the City’s website (PDF) at www.weho.org/home/showdocument?id=46373. The State of California and County of Los Angeles have also directed the use of face coverings in public.

The City of West Hollywood has declared a local emergency in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. When in public, community members should maintain your space with social (physical) distancing of at least six feet, and cover your face to adhere to City, County, and State requirements for the use of face coverings. Face coverings are not required for young children under two-years-old; children between two- and eight-years-old should only wear face coverings with adult supervision; and people with certain medical conditions are exempt from this requirement. Public Health officials recommend that everyone must continue to follow physical distancing and infection control directives and wear a clean cloth face covering that securely covers both your nose and mouth when in contact with other people not in your household.

The City encourages residents to remain home as much as is practical and limit close contact with others outside of a household. Additionally, people 65 years old or older and all people of any age with underlying health conditions should remain at home whenever possible; people in these categories should only leave their residences to seek medical care, exercise, or obtain food or other necessities.

West Hollywood City Hall is currently closed to the public and has suspended all in-person transactions. Most public City buildings, playgrounds, and facilities remain closed. City Hall remains accessible for business and essential services with transactions to be conducted by phone (323) 848-6400 and via the City’s website at www.weho.org.