Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) asked residents of his state to “commit” to wearing a mask for four weeks, despite his ongoing lawsuit against Atlanta officials for demanding that a mask be worn. .
“Today, I encourage all Georgians, from all corners of our great state, to do four things for four weeks to stop the spread of COVID-19,” Kemp said in a statement. “If Georgians commit to wearing a mask, distancing themselves socially, washing their hands regularly, and following the guidance of our Executive Order and public health officials, we can make incredible progress in the fight against COVID-19. Together, we can protect our loved ones, revive our economy and continue taking measured steps forward. ”
Kemp, who was elected as a low-level governor in 2018, has come forward as a staunch conservative and criticized government-imposed regulations.
However, he has positioned himself to the right of other conservative governors, including those of Alabama and Arkansas, who have issued masking mandates.
Kemp took his opposition to a mask requirement a step further last week when he filed a lawsuit against Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) and members of the city council in an attempt to remove the mask ordinance from the city and other health measures that go beyond executive orders that is signed
The governor has defended the lawsuit as an effort to “put Georgians first”, while acknowledging that wearing masks can help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected more than 145,000 people in Georgia.
“They worked for us before and they will return to work,” Kemp said Tuesday on “Fox & Friends.”
In addition to wearing masks, Kemp and Kathleen Toomey, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health, urge Georgians to practice social distancing and wash their hands for 20 seconds “several times during the day.”
“Georgians, we need your help,” said Toomey. “By implementing these simple, but effective practices, we can delay the spread of the coronavirus and continue on the path to defeat of COVID-19.”
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