Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) announced a statewide mandatory mask order on Wednesday, citing a 50 percent increase in new COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks.
“Despite all our best efforts, we are seeing increases in cases that occur every day and we are almost to the point that hospital ICUs are overwhelmed,” Ivey said at a press conference.
Alabama reported 2,141 new cases overnight, bringing the state’s total number of confirmed cases to more than 58,000.
Ivey, who was reluctant to issue a mask order earlier in the pandemic, said she believes it will be difficult to enforce the order.
“I still believe it will be a difficult order to fulfill, and I always prefer personal responsibility over a government mandate, and yet I also know with all my heart that the figures and data for the past few weeks are definitely trending in the direction wrong, “he said.
“This order of masks is difficult to enforce, so once again I ask everyone in our state to practice personal responsibility and wear a mask,” he added.
More than 20 states have mask requirements as emerging research shows that it is effective in curbing the spread of COVID-19.
In Alabama, people must wear face masks or covers when they are in public and in close contact with others, including in indoor spaces open to the public and outdoor spaces where 10 or more people gather.
The mask order goes into effect Thursday at 5 p.m. and expires on July 31.
However, Ivey said he will not yet reverse some of the state’s reopening efforts. Gyms, lounges, restaurants, bars, beaches, bowling alleys, casinos, game rooms, theaters and retail stores have been allowed to open at reduced capacity.
“Clearly, there are other, more restrictive actions we could take, like closing things, but I don’t want to go unless there are absolutely no other options available,” he said.
States that experienced large outbreaks, including California and Florida, have ordered bars closed when experts warned that they were becoming a dangerous source of spread in their communities.
COVID-19 spreads more easily indoors than outdoors.
Updated 1:01 pm
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