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California Gov. makes masks MANDATORY to stop Covid-19, raising questions about enforceability
California Governor Gavin Newsom has said that all citizens will need to wear masks in public settings to fend off the coronavirus, though many are wondering how such a thing can be enforced.
“Together — we can slow the spread. Do your part. Wear a mask,” Newsom tweeted on Thursday.
NEW: Californians are now REQUIRED to wear face coverings in public spaces.Together -- we can slow the spread.Do your part. Wear a mask.LEARN MORE: https://t.co/xtXFwVeWc2
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 18, 2020
According to updated policies from The California Department of Public Health, face masks are now required for most outdoor settings, any situations that do not allow for social distancing, and for employees of any business interacting with the public.
While the move has drawn support from some lawmakers and even former California governor and Hollywood superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger himself, who called it “100% the right move," many have cast doubt over whether it’s possible to implement the measure.
This is 100% the right move. This will help us beat this terrible virus. The science is unanimous - if we all wear masks, we slow down the spread and can reopen safely. It’s not a political issue. Anyone making it a political issue is an absolute moron who can’t read. https://t.co/N0FmCwDU5w
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) June 18, 2020
“This is unenforceable,” ‘Full Metal Jacket’ actor and California resident Adam Baldwin said in a now-deleted tweet.
It’s a sentiment that has been repeated on social media as the practicality of requiring masks has come under scrutiny in recent weeks, and Newsom provided no specifics on enforcement.
Videos on social media have displayed customers around the nation outraged when their business is turned away by an establishment requiring face protection to shop.
The short history of police enforcing coronavirus measures is already controversial, and the issue has got even more problematic in the light of the mass protets against police brutality that typically see demonstrators ignoring social distancing guidlines.
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An NYPD officer was relieved of duty last month after video surfaced showing him slamming a suspect to the ground who was seen breaking social distancing rules.
Philadelphia officers found themselves in hot water the month prior when video showed them dragging a man off of a public transit bus for not wearing a mask.
At the same time, multiple videos and photos taken at protests over the death of George Floyd have revealed that the majority of demonstrators are hardly social distancing and far from everybody is wearing masks.
And even if those protesters all decide to go along with the new measure, plenty of Newsom critics have been quick to let him know they have zero intention of wearing face masks in public.
California has thus far suffered over 5,000 deaths from Covid-19 and recorded more than 160,000 cases.
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