Governor Baker Makes Masks Mandatory

Governor Baker has signed an Executive Order that requires those over the age of two to wear a mask while either indoors or outdoors if they cannot social distance.

The order goes into effect on May 6th which is Wednesday.

The Governor says that there are a number of people that show no signs of the virus but could be infected with Covid19 and his goal remains to keep people safe and to prevent the spread of the virus.

"We view this as common sense and an important way on a statewide basis to establish for the long-term a set of standards for what we would call the new normal," the Governor told reporters.

The Governor in describing the masks told reporter that they don't have to be what he described as "proper masks". He said the medical grade masks should be reserved for the medical community. Instead he said that the masks can be cloth, bandannas, T-Shirts or other coverings.

The Governor said that he thought that most people were pretty respectful of the previous guidance in the state. But that there needed to be a new normal established.

"But I think we all believe that as part of the strategy around anything associated with reopening people are going to need a mask or a face covering if they're going to be close to people. You can't always stay six feet away, and even if you can stay six feet away, especially if you're inside, you probably ought to have a face covering on," Baker said.

The Governor is also not inclined to open up the golf courses around the state, mask or no mask.

"We're not a warm weather state. It's been winter for the most part. I get the fact that there are golfers who like to golf in the winter. But if you were to say to me do I think that golfing in the winter would be considered an essential thing to be doing at a point in time when we were closing down thousands and thousands and thousands of other non-essential businesses in Massachusetts? My answer to that would be no," Baker said.

(Photo by OLIVIER MORIN/AFP via Getty Images)


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