New York governor Andrew Cuomo said today that he will issue an executive order requiring all New Yorkers to wear a mouth and nose covering in public when they are not able to maintain a social distance of six feet or less, CNN reports.
"If you are going to be in a situation, in public, where you come into contact with other people in a situation that is not socially distanced you must have a mask or a cloth covering nose and mouth," Cuomo said during a press conference in Albany, as quoted by CNBC.
It's a impactful move by the governor of the most populous city in the United States, which has been hammered by the coronavirus outbreak by tens of thousands of deaths.
There'll be a three day notice period so New Yorkers can figure out a way to cover their noses and mouths. For now, there won't be any penalties for not wearing a mask. But Cuomo hopes New Yorkers take notice.
"If you're going to get on public transit, you're going to get on a bus, you're going to get on a subway, you're going to stand on a subway platform, you're going to walk in a neighborhood that is busy, you're going to be on a sidewalk, you're going to pass other people on a sidewalk, you're not going to be able to maintain social distancing, you must wear a mask,” Cuomo said during a Wednesday briefing, as quoted by CNN.
New York currently is the state with the most coronavirus cases. According to the latest numbers, there have been just shy of 8,000 deaths in New York City alone. There are currently more than 600,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 nationwide, with more than 24,000 deaths.
"Where we’re going, it’s not a reopening in that we’re going to reopen what was. We’re going to a different place," Cuomo said.
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