Governor Mandates Wearing Face Masks in Public

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By Stefanie Jackson –

Starting Friday, May 29, all Virginians will be required to wear face masks in public, Gov. Ralph Northam announced at a May 26 press conference on the state’s continued response to COVID-19.

The mandate applies to all individuals age 10 and older, who use public transportation or enter  public places such as government buildings, retail stores, hair salons, barber shops, and restaurants – but masks may be removed while eating or drinking, Northam clarified.

Masks may be removed during exercise, and they are not required for individuals with health conditions that prevent them from wearing face coverings.

“Let me speak to you as a doctor. I strongly recommend any child who is three years old or older should wear a face covering to the extent possible,” Northam added.

The mandate will be enforced by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), not law enforcement.

The governor’s chief of staff, Clark Mercer, said business owners who are “grossly negligent” will be warned by VDH, and if they do not comply, they can lose their business licenses.

Northam did not consider violations of his order as a “criminal matter,” and he did not favor charging violators with misdemeanors, which can result in jail time.

The Virginia General Assembly will discuss implementing a civil penalty for violating the order, he said.

Northam advised, “I am asking Virginians to remember that their actions have consequences. Everything we do affects someone else. I’m asking us all to remember the golden rule, that we should treat each other the way that we want people to treat us.”

He addressed concerns of reporters who noted he did not wear a face mask in Virginia Beach, Va., during the Memorial Day weekend.

The governor visited to observe the progress of the city’s re-opening, speak to the mayor, thank first responders for their service, and answer questions from the press.

He had not planned to interact with the public, but some “well-wishers” approached him and asked if they could take photos with him. He obliged, but he had left his face mask in his car.

“I was not prepared. … I take full responsibility,” Northam said.

He praised Virginia Beach for its performance. “I saw that people were social distancing on the beach. They were following the rules.

“I’m convinced that Virginia Beach can be a model for the rest of our country, a model for how to open the right way and how to operate a beach safely even while the pandemic remains with us.”

“While one death is too many, the numbers over the weekend continue to show that our percent positivity is trending downward,” Northam continued.

He has not been tested regularly for COVID-19 but “we have a lot of great community testing sites out there, and I look forward to going to one of those sites in the near future … being tested, and also demonstrating to the rest of Virginians how easy this test is to do and encourage more Virginians to be tested.”

There were 298,270 COVID-19 tests given in Virginia as of May 26, including more than 8,000 new tests.

Virginia has 39,342 cases of COVID-19, including 1,615 new cases. There are 1,236 people who have died from COVID-19 in Virginia, including 28 additional deaths reported as of May 26.

Northern Virginia and Accomack County plan to enter Phase One of reopening for business on Friday, May 29.

Richmond, Va., is not yet planning to enter Phase One.

Considering Phase One has been underway in the rest of the state for a little more than a week,  and the coronavirus has a two-week incubation period, there is not yet enough data to support any Virginia locality entering Phase Two, Northam said.

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