guy in a mask American flag bandanaBebeto Matthews/AP Images
Public health officials in Ohio's most populous county on Wednesday apologized after releasing guidelines that encouraged African Americans and "communities of color" to avoid wearing facial coverings associated with "gang symbolism."
The Franklin County Department of Public Health also advised against wearing red or blue bandanas "as these are typically associated with gang symbolism."
Public health officials in Franklin County, Ohio apologized last week after they released guidance on wearing face masks that targeted the African American community and urged it against wearing facial coverings that elicited "gang symbolism."
"Franklin County Public Health apologizes for a recent guidance document focused on mask coverings for African Americans," the agency said in a statement posted Wednesday to Twitter said.
The apology came after the agency released a document titled "COVID-19 General Guidance on Wearing Face Mask for African Americans and Communities of Color."
