Governor, state health officer extend statewide mask requirement to Aug. 31

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Gov. Kay Ivey and state health officer Dr. Scott Harris today extended the state’s “safer-at-home” order and statewide requirement for masks until Aug. 31, with a few modifications.

One new aspect of the order is that any students in second grade through college will be required to wear masks while at school to help protect students and teachers from spread of the COVID-19 disease, Ivey said

The previous order, last amended July 15, had been set to expire on July 31, but continued transmission of COVID-19 merited an extension of the order, Ivey said.

No one enjoys wearing a mask, but because of the help of businesses, progress is being made, the governor said.

“We just must remain vigilant if we’re going to get our kids back in school and keep our economy open,” Ivey said. “Wearing a mask can’t hurt, but it sure can help. More and more people are seeing this for what it is — a way to protect yourself as well as others you work with, come in contact with, care about and those you love.”

The governor also said she respects that local school districts have the right to decide whether they reopen with in-person instruction, but she encouraged school officials across the state to get back to in-person learning as soon as possible.

She said she is concerned that virtual learning will lead to a backward slide in learning and have a dramatic negative impact on young people who are Alabama’s future.

Decisions to implement and extend health orders that include restrictions are not easy or fun, but the goal is to reduce the spread of transmission of disease and maintain a fine balance when considering human health and economic health, Ivey said.

Harris said the latest numbers show Alabama has had 81,687 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with more than 22,000 of those coming in the past two weeks. The state added 1,345 cases Tuesday, he said.

There have been 1,493 deaths attributed to COVID-19, and hospitals are reporting record numbers of patients being treated for the disease, Harris said. On Monday, there were 1,599 people hospitalized in Alabama with COVID-19, he said.

Since March, there have been about 10,000 people hospitalized with the disease and more than 5,000 health care workers infected, Harris said.

He believes the current increase in cases is attributed to increased community spread during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, he said.

Regarding the statewide mask order, Harris said “I know people don’t like being told what to do, and I don’t either, but I do believe it’s the right thing to do.”

Harris said he knows he and others gave mixed messages about the effectiveness of face coverings in preventing spread of COVID-19. But “today there is no argument about whether these are effective,” he said. “Physicians, public health officials and medical researchers all have a consensus that this is the best tool we have right now for preventing transmission of disease, short of everyone being locked in their house, which we certainly don’t intend to see. … It’s really more important now than ever.”

The state health order requires that each person shall wear a mask or other facial covering that covers his or her nostrils and mouth at all times when within 6 feet of a person from another household in indoor spaces open to the general public, a vehicle operated by a transportation service or an outdoor public space where 10 or more people are gathered.

There are numerous exceptions to the mask requirement, including:

  • Any person age 6 or younger
  • Any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents him or her from wearing a facial covering
  • Any person while consuming food or drink, or seated at a restaurant to eat or drink
  • Any person obtaining a service (for example, a medical or dental procedure) that requires removal of the facial covering in order to perform the service
  • Any person who is required to remove the facial covering to confirm his or her identity, such as for security or screening purposes
  • Any person actively engaged in exercise in a gym or other athletic facility if he or she maintains 6 feet of separation from people from another household
  • Any person directly participating in athletic activities
  • Any person in a swimming pool, lake, water attraction or similar body of water, though wearing a face covering or social distancing is strongly encouraged if safe and practicable
  • Any person seeking to communicate with another person where the ability to see the person’s mouth is essential for communication (such as when the other person has a hearing impairment)
  • Any person speaking for broadcast or to an audience if the person maintains 6 feet of separation from people from another household
  • Any person who is voting, though wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged
  • Any person who cannot wear a facial covering because he or she is actively providing or obtaining access to religious worship, though wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged
  • Any first responder (including law enforcement officers, firefighters, or emergency medical personnel) if necessary to perform a public safety function
  • Any person performing a job function if wearing a face covering is inconsistent with industry safety standards or a business’s established safety protocols