Apparently some people are not in agreement with wearing masks at the Schuylkill County courthouse.

Schuylkill County Commissioners’ Chairman Barron “Boots” Hetherington said he received three phone calls from people about masking. The county instituted the mask policy at county facilities after increasing cases of COVID-19 in the county.

“I assure you this was not a knee-jerk reaction,” Hetherington said at Wednesday’s work session meeting.

Those entering the courthouse, district magistrates or county facilities are required to wear a mask. Exempted individuals are children under 2 years old and people who cannot wear a face mask due to a medical condition or witnesses when testifying.

Hetherington said the decision was made that after five straight days of substantial designation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention they would move to masking at county facilities. Vaccinated individuals can still spread the virus.

“The masks are inconvenient but I believe the benefits outweigh the risks,” Hetherington said.

Howard Merrick, chairman of the Schuylkill County Republican Committee, said Thursday “several” people had contacted him with mask comments.

“Their concern was it premature, was it necessary to do it at this time,” he said.

Merrick agrees “the numbers have gone up.”

Those who enter the courthouse via the security entrance at the front will receive a temperature scan on jury selection days.

“We want to make the jurors feel safe,” President Judge William E. Baldwin said after a prison board meeting.

Hetherington said 375 people have been given notice of potential jury duty.