MASKS MAY BE MANDATORY SOON
Gov. Ralph Northam hints at safety measure during Friday press conference in Richmond
Virginia’s governor hinted Friday that masks soon may be required to be worn when going out in public.
“Be ready on Tuesday to go out and about in your business when it’s essential with facial protection,” Gov. Ralph Northam said at a news conference in Richmond. “Make plans for you and your other family members to have facial protection.”
Northam — the only doctor among the country’s governors — has so far not made wearing a mask mandatory during the coronavirus pandemic, although his guidance on reopening most of the state under phase 1 included mandatory face masks for employees of certain industries, including restaurants, personal grooming and retail.
If health officials continue to see a decline in coronavirus hospitalization rates and the percentage of positive cases, the earliest most parts of the state could enter into the second part of Northam’s three-phased approach is next Friday, two weeks after the start of phase1.
The governor previously said phase 2 will limit gatherings to 50 people while continuing to encourage social distancing and the wearing of masks in public. Vulnerable populations should still stay home.
Northam said Friday that masks were “an important part” of those next steps.
“We have been talking about this for a number of days, we are working through the policy over the
next couple of days, and I will make an announcement on Tuesday regarding that,” he said.
The details to be worked out include ensuring everyone has access to a mask and figuring out how to enforce the policy, he said. Masks would be especially important for people entering businesses, “because that’s one of the most vulnerable places” to contract the virus, Northam said.
“The mask is intended to protect other people, and that’s what our goal is,” he added.
Enforcement of other parts of Northam’s executive orders have so far been executed by local law enforcement, although the governor repeatedly has said he hoped police wouldn’t need to get involved and Virginians would comply voluntarily.
State law prohibits people from wearing a mask to conceal themselves in public, but Northam has said no one would be stopped by police during the pandemic. The law makes an exception for people wearing protective masks necessary for the “physical safety of the wearer or other persons,” or on the advice of a licensed physician.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public, especially in areas like grocery stores and pharmacies, where staying at least 6 feet from others can be difficult. State health officials have said the virus can be transmitted by talking, coughing or sneezing, and people who have the coronavirus but don’t have symptoms can spread it.
Three areas of Virginia — Accomack County, Richmond and Northern Virginia — have yet to see the downward case trends officials had hoped and have not entered phase 1, which allows non-essential shops to open at 50% capacity and restaurants to open their patios at 50% capacity. Northam hinted on Friday that an announcement about the reopening of the three areas that haven’t entered phase 1 would be expected early next week.
Maryland’s governor, with whom Northam has been conferring closely throughout the pandemic, made wearing masks in public mandatory more than a month ago.