Starting Wednesday, April 8, the city of Irvine will require workers at “essential” retail businesses to wear a bandana, scarf, fabric or other mask on the job, and Costa Mesa is working on similar rules for its grocery stores, restaurants and other businesses.

Orange County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick is also expected to issue guidelines soon spelling out which workers should wear a mask or face covering, county supervisors were told at a Tuesday board meeting.

Public health guidance, including from the federal Centers from Disease Control and Prevention, has recently shifted to acknowledge that wearing a mask while in public can help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, especially by those who have no symptoms and may not know they’re infected.

But health officials have cautioned that professional-grade N95 and surgical masks should be reserved for healthcare workers, emergency responders and others with a higher likelihood of close contact with sick people.

Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do wanted to require face coverings for workers at groceries and other such settings, but his colleagues disagreed, with Supervisor Don Wagner saying they should rely on Quick to determine what’s best for public health.

While it’s unknown exactly who will be covered by Quick’s forthcoming order, Irvine officials said masks or other face coverings will be mandatory for essential retail businesses in their city starting Wednesday.

Irvine council members dropped off nearly 7,000 donated masks at local stores over the weekend, Mayor Christina Shea said.

Some retail and food service workers may be within a few feet of hundreds of people during their shift, which could put them and the customers at risk, she said. “What is the point of going home and isolating if you’re getting infected at the grocery store?”

She said she has heard that some companies discourage employees from wearing masks because they worry it will scare shoppers.