Gov. Kay Ivey announced that she will be implementing a statewide mask order effective on Thursday.
At a press conference on Wednesday, the governor said that the number of COVID-19 cases in Alabama has continued to rise.
"Folks, the numbers don't lie," Ivey said.
Ivey said the mask order will be effective until the end of July. It will complement the Safer at Home Order currently in place.
Though she said in the press conference that the goal of this order is not to require sheriffs to ticket people not wearing masks, there will be a possible $500 fine or jail time for those found not in compliance.
"I always prefer personal responsibility over a government mandate, yet I also know with all my heart that the numbers and the data [...] are definitely trending in the wrong direction," Ivey said.
State Health Officer Scott Harris said that the rise of COVID-19 cases in Alabama has gotten worse in recent weeks, including a third of the state's cases being confirmed in the past two weeks.
Both Ivey and Harris said there isn't a need to shut down the economy again by implementing another shelter-in-place order.
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