What’s behind the ‘strict zero tolerance’ mask policy in effect for bike-to-work day

Businesses are opening back up, and once again, workers are being asked to bike to work.

After taking a hiatus last year due to the pandemic, the annual Bike to Work Day in the Washington area will be held tomorrow. There are several outdoor pit stops in the region, including six in Prince William County and one in Manassas, where riders can stop off for a free t-shirt and for some water (we’ll list those locations at the bottom of this post), and participants must register online for an appointment in which to visit the pit stop and get the free t-shirt.

While you at the pit stops, be sure to wear a mask. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, which organizes the event, writes in a press release:

Safety measures in compliance with CDC guidelines will be in effect at all pit stop locations to ensure participants and volunteers remain safe. Precautions include:

• Zero-tolerance mask enforcement.

• Pre-selected check-in times for staggered arrival times, with 25-30 bicyclists per 30-minute timeslot.

• Physical distancing requirements, including six-foot distancing, one-way traffic flow, hand sanitizer stations, and appropriate signage.

That “zero tolerance” mask enforcement policy comes as leaders in Virginia and Washington, D.C. lifted mask mandates for vaccinated people.

We asked Bike to Work Day organizers why participants in Virginia still needed to wear a mask, especially when the pit stops are outdoors. Our question:

• Can you expound on the zero-tolerance mask enforcement requirement? As Virginia has dropped its mask requirement for the vaccinated, why should vaccinated Virginians who would participate in this event be forced to wear a mask?As we’ve seen https://news.bswhealth.com/en-US/releases/baylor-scott-white-sports-therapy-research-publishes-new-data-on-impacts-of-mask-wearing-on-sports-performance, wearing a mask while exercising reduces oxygen to the body by nearly 30%.

Organizers largely dodged the question, emailing us this response:

“We’re excited to host a Bike to Work Day event that is both celebratory and safe for all participants regionwide. For that reason, we’re asking volunteers and participants to wear masks within pit stop areas where they could be in close proximity to others, in accordance with CDC guidelines.”

–Nicholas Ramfos, Commuter Connections Director

Those pit stops in Prince William County and Manassas include:

• Dumfries at Town Hall Community Center
• Haymarket Bicycles
• Manassas – George Mason University
• Manassas – VRE Station
• Rippon Landing VRE Station
• Woodbridge – Chinn Center (morning & afternoon)
• Woodbridge – VRE Station

This is the 20th year for the bike event in the Washington, D.C. area.