The Alabama and Montana governors issued mask orders on Wednesday in response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak across the country.
“We are asking everyone to do a better job practicing social distancing from personal hygiene and now wearing face masks,” Alabama Republican Governor Kay Ivey wrote in a Twitter thread explaining the move.
Alabama residents will be required to wear face masks or covers “when in public and in close contact with others” until July 31 at 5 p.m. M. the nostrils and the mouth.
ALABAMA JOINS THE STATES UNDER THE REQUEST TO STAY AT CASA DE CORONAVIRUS
Businesses will not be required to deny entry to people who break the mask rule, but have the right to do so, according to the governor’s office.
Alabama had seen nearly 60,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 1,200 deaths as of Wednesday night, according to Johns Hopkins University.
In Montana, Democratic Governor Steve Bullock issued a statewide directive requiring face covering in certain indoor spaces and for organized outdoor activities in all counties that have a minimum of four confirmed and active coronavirus cases.
Montana, with about a fifth of Alabama’s population spread over an area nearly three times its size, according to the Census Bureau, had more than 2,000 cases and 34 deaths as of Tuesday.
“Many Montanans responded to the call to mask themselves,” Bullock said in a press release. “I thank all who take their personal responsibility and role in stopping COVID-19 seriously. But we need even more Montanans, and the visitors that come here, to mask themselves. ”
Montana rules allow residents to remove their masks for eating or drinking in public, attending medical appointments, speaking in front of a socially distant audience, and if a pre-existing condition prevents the ability to wear a mask safely. Companies must provide masks for their employees.
Coronavir outbreak in Montana nursing home leaves 7 dead in one week
The directive also allows peacekeepers to treat people who refuse to wear a mask as intruders at the request of a business owner or other authority. However, Bullock’s office said police should focus on issuing warnings and educating violators about the risks of spreading the disease.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“There is no reason why this should be political because COVID-19 is not political,” said the governor. “Instead, it’s about being a Montanan and supporting those around us.”
More details about the orders in Alabama and Montana can be found at the governors’ offices here and here, respectively.
