Yeah,
@schmke and
@Traffic, I understand what you are saying, and I am certainly not trying to be argumentative. For my sake and for the sake of my local club down here (which I want to stay open, if possible), I genuinely want to know where the specification exists that "masks are worn at all times for indoor activities" in the Healthy Washington directives?
When you Google the string "Healthy Washington Mask Requirements" you get directed to the exact same website that I cited in my previous post,
https://coronavirus.wa.gov/information-for/you-and-your-family/face-masks-or-cloth-face-covering.
Which, again, in the frequently asked question section, states:
Do people need to wear face coverings while working out in a gym?
Only if they cannot maintain 6 feet of separation from non-household members in the gym.
Higher up on the page, it says:
An order from the secretary of health requires Washingtonians to wear face coverings in public spaces and shared spaces, both indoors and outdoors. Examples include hotel or apartment hallways, outdoors where many people are gathered such as parks, playgrounds or popular walking paths, and in a restaurant when not seated and eating. People are individually responsible to comply with this order.
Do these two statements conflict with each other?
In my opinion, I don't think so. It seems that masks are only required for tennis (indoor or out) if you can't maintain 6 feet of separation during the activity, so it seems like the Seattle clubs are going further than the requirement, which is their prerogative. However, that Capital Hill Seattle article seems to outline more restrictions that aren't on the state website.
Looking further, I found this statement in this addendum (
https://coronavirus.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-10/Overview of mask order_OctoberUpdate.pdf):
The secretary of Health has ordered all individuals to wear a face covering in any indoor public setting or when outdoors and unable to maintain 6 feet of physical distance from others.
The governor's latest degree says (
https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/proclamations/20-25.6 - COVID-19 Safe Start-Stay Healthy (tmp).pdf):
No business may operate, allow a customer to enter a business, or conduct business with a customer inside any building that is open to the public or outdoors in a public place unless the customer is wearing a face covering, as required by Order of the Secretary of Health 20-03.
So, as I read this, clubs must require players to wear a mask when they check into the club and pay for things... but does going down to the courts and playing tennis (especially singles or as an individual against a ball machine) constitute "conducting business" in this case? If so, why hasn't the State of Washington clarified the inconsistencies on their
official website where these rules are posted? How are we supposed to comply if this isn't crystal clear?