Republican governors are starting to break with President Donald Trump on requiring face masks to be worn in their states in an attempt to push back growing coronavirus infection rates after CDC Director Robert Redfield and other health officials have said that wearing masks could bring the virus outbreak under control.
Other GOP governors, though, are holding tight with their stances on masks, including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who Wednesday night banned cities and counties in his state from enacting mask orders, reports The Washington Post.
But even with that order, Kemp still strongly encouraged Georgia residents and visitors to wear masks while outside their homes except when drinking, eating, or exercising outdoors.
In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey called on residents to wear masks, as has Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, who announced a mask order in 13 counties in his state.
Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also this month issued a statewide mandate, although he at first had prohibited local governments from punishing people who would wear a mask.
"If everyone can adopt the practice of wearing a face mask for the next four weeks, we will be able to get COVID-19 under control," Abbott told KPRC2 in Houston.
Arizona's Gov. Doug Ducey also issued an order after coronavirus started to spiral in his state.
The mask orders come as several major retailers, including Walmart, Kroger, and Kohl's have started to require all customers to wear masks, starting next week.
Meanwhile, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have all insisted that local officials don't have the authority to enact mask mandates.
“We respect people’s rights … to not wear a mask,” Stitt, who has tested positive for COVID-19, commented. “You just open up a big can of worms.”
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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