Northam mandates masks in public places, beginning Friday
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Beginning Friday, anyone at an indoor public place in Virginia will be required to wear a face mask, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced at his press briefing Tuesday.
The face mask mandate applies to all indoor public areas, including restaurants, retail shops, public transit or government facility, among others.
Northam issued the mandate shortly after addressing recent criticism he’s experienced after cameras spotted him without a face mask during a weekend visit to Virginia Beach, where he was meeting with city officials as the oceanfront reopened.
Northam was in between meetings when approached by a group of people who asked to take a picture with him, he said.
“I was not prepared because my mask was in the car. I take full responsibility for that – people held me accountable and I appreciate that,” Northam said.
The statewide face mask requirement will not be regulated by state or local law enforcement officials but by the Virginia Department of Health, Northam said. No one will receive a ticket or be fined for failing to wear a mask, he said.
“This is about people’s health, it’s not about locking people up in jail and giving them large fines,” Northam said.
According to Virginia Chief of Staff Clark Mercer, a business that fails to implement the mandate could be penalized or even shut down as a restaurant might be when it fails the VDH’s regular health inspections. Any business or manager that knowingly disregards the mandate will have its operating license pulled, said Mercer.
Executive Order 61 requires workers to wear face masks as they interact with customers, in order to protect those customers; the new mandate is similar, as a way to protect those workers as well as other customers as businesses begin to reopen, Northam said.
The governor said there was no specific timeframe during which the order would be in place. He suggested that the General Assembly could review the new mandate when it reconvenes for a brief summer gathering and possibly determine whether to implement fines for those who fail to wear masks at public spots.
