Walk into government buildings without a mask in these US cities — and risk a fine
Augusta, Georgia has joined a growing list of U.S. cities now requiring face masks in city government buildings and other facilities.
The ordinance, approved by the Augusta Commission on Tuesday, aims to keep people safe as the COVID-19 crisis continues.
As of Friday, more than 41,000 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Georgia, with 1,790 deaths, according to John Hopkins University. Nationwide, nearly 1.6 million people have been infected, with more than 95,000 deaths.
While Georgia is one of many states not requiring masks to be worn in public, state and local leaders are encouraging residents to wear them.
And like Augusta, some US cities have taken extra steps to protect the public during the pandemic.
In Augusta, those who refuse to wear a mask or face covering in city government buildings face a misdemeanor charge and a maximum $1,000 fine, according to the Augusta Chronicle. There’s even risk of jail time — up to 60 days behind bars, to be exact.
The new rule applies to anyone over the age of 2 and will last through June 13, when Gov. Brian Kemp’s statewide emergency order expires, local station WSB-TV reported. The governor first declared a public health emergency on March 14 and urged residents, especially those considered “medically fragile,” to remain home when possible.
The penalties seem harsh, but City Commissioner Sammie Sias said a fine or jail time would be a last resort. The violator would likely just be denied entry into the building.
“You don’t have to go to jail if you don’t go through the scanner, you just don’t come in,” he said, according to the Augusta Chronicle.
Fellow Commissioner Dennis Williams agreed the punishments were steep, but said it was city leadership’s responsibility to “look out for the welfare and safety of our employees and our citizens,” the newspaper reported.
In Vermont, the city of South Burlington approved a resolution May 18 making face masks a requirement to enter all city buildings, according to the Burlington Free Press. A separate resolution passed by the city council “strongly encouraged,” rather than required, face coverings in public places including libraries and grocery stores.
It’s not just city governments that are tightening the rules.
Chief U.S. District Judge Patricia Gaughan of Ohio signed an order Friday mandating that “a mask must cover a person’s nose and mouth” and is required to enter federal courthouses “unless a judge or courthouse official says otherwise,” Cleveland. com reported.
Masks must be worn at all times, and “visitors seeking entrance to a courthouse without a face covering will be asked to contact the office by telephone .... to explore alternatives to entering the courthouse,” according to Gaughan’s order, which applies to courthouses in Akron, Cleveland, Toledo and Youngstown.
A similar mask mandate was issued hundreds of miles away in Arkansas, by Garland County Judge Darryl Mahoney.
“We’ve got masks for everyone who works here, and they will be encouraged to wear them,” Mahoney told the Democrat Gazette last month. “We will not be allowing anyone in the county government buildings without a mask.”
The recent requirements follow guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month encouraging the use of cloth face coverings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 4:50 PM with the headline "Walk into government buildings without a mask in these US cities — and risk a fine."