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Half Of All States Have A Mask Mandate—But Surging Florida And Arizona Still Don’t

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This article is more than 3 years old.
Updated Jul 15, 2020, 04:40pm EDT

TOPLINE

Half of U.S. states now have a statewide mask mandate in place, as evidence continues to grow that mask-wearing in public is essential to containing the spread of coronavirus, but some of the nation’s hardest-hit states are continuing to give residents the option to not wear face coverings around others, which is a clear threat to public health.

KEY FACTS

On Wednesday, Alabama became the 25th U.S. state to put a statewide mask-wearing mandate in place.

Half of U.S. states, which together make up a majority of the American population, now have statewide mask mandates in place.

But Florida, which is now dealing with the largest confirmed coronavirus outbreak of any state during the pandemic, does not have a mask mandate in place, and neither does hard-hit Arizona.

Localities in those states have the ability to issue mask mandates, but so far, Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and Arizona’s Republican Gov. Doug Ducey have declined issuing a statewide mandate.

Statewide mask mandates have largely been issued along partisan lines—20 of the 25 states with mandates have a Democratic governor.

Alabama’s Republican governor changed course after a record coronavirus surge in Alabama; like Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas, she had refused to issue a mandate in the past, even though both had pleaded with residents on several occasions, asking them to wear masks.

CRITICAL QUOTE

“At this critical juncture when Covid-19 is re-surging, broad adoption of cloth face coverings is a civic duty, a small sacrifice reliant on a highly effective low-tech solution that can help turn the tide favorably in national and global efforts against Covid-19,” CDC Director Robert Redfield, along with two colleagues, wrote in an editorial published Tuesday. 

KEY BACKGROUND

The coronavirus crisis in the U.S. is continuing to worsen, as it’s been for the past month. Yet another record high for new cases was reported in the U.S. Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, with over 67,000 confirmed coronavirus cases. Health experts consistently say that mask-wearing is a way to prevent further spread, but mask mandates have been met with pushback among some conservatives, who claim that governments requiring the public to wear masks infringes on personal freedom.

TANGENT

Walmart on Wednesday announced masks would be required for all shoppers, joining a growing list of private companies that require the public to wear masks in their buildings.

FURTHER READING

Gov. Ivey issues statewide mask order (AL.com)

Why Florida, The Pandemic’s New Epicenter, Won’t Mandate Face Masks (Forbes)

Florida Shatters National Record With Over 15,000 New Coronavirus Cases (Forbes)

Coronavirus Spreading At ‘Unacceptable Rate’ In Texas, Governor Says (Forbes)

CDC Director: It’s Time For Universal Masking To End Covid-19 Pandemic (Forbes)

Walmart Mandates Face Masks Even As Some Disputes Turn Deadly (Forbes)

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