Have you been wearing a face mask when you leave the home?
As coronavirus cases continue to rise in at least 40 states, many governors are instituting or renewing orders requiring people to wear face coverings in public. Most of the orders require people to wear masks in both indoor and outdoor public spaces where social distancing isn’t possible, but some apply to only specific places or age groups.
None of the orders apply to children younger than 2 or any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a face covering.
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These states require you to wear a face mask in public:
California
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order June 18 mandating the use of face masks in indoor public spaces, in outdoor public spaces when social distancing is not possible. The order also applies while driving or operating any public transportation or private car service or ride-sharing vehicle when passengers are present.
Connecticut
Gov. Ned Lamont issued an order April 20 requiring the use of face masks in public spaces when social distancing is not possible. The order also applies to when a person is in a taxi, ride-share or public mass transit service or enclosed transit stop.
Delaware
Gov. John Carney issued an order effective April 28 requiring the use of face masks inside businesses, at health care providers and in outdoor public spaces when social distancing is not possible. It also applies to using public transportation, or a paratransit vehicle, taxi, private car service or ride-sharing vehicle.
Hawaii
Gov. David Ige issued an order April 17 requiring customers of essential businesses and employees who have contact with customers or goods to wear cloth face masks. The order also requires customers waiting to get into businesses to wear masks.
Violations could results in a fine of not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both, according to the order.
Illinois
Gov. JB Pritzker issued an order April 30 requiring the use of face masks in public and at work. Specifically, the order requires the use of masks in indoor spaces such as stores and other public spaces where social distancing isn’t feasible.
Kansas
Gov. Laura Kelly issued an order effective July 3 requiring the use of face masks in indoor public spaces or while in line to enter indoor public spaces, at health care providers, in outdoor public spaces when social distancing is not possible, and when they are a rider on public transportation, or a taxi, private car service or ride-sharing vehicle.
The order also mandates that businesses must require customers and employees to wear masks in spaces visited by the public.
Maine
Gov. Janet Mills issued an order effective May 1 requiring the use of face masks in public when social distancing is hard to maintain, including in stores and health facilities, at playgrounds and in parking lots, in lines for take-out services, and on public transportation or ride-sharing services.
Maryland
Gov. Larry Hogan issued an order effective April 18 requiring the use of masks or face coverings when inside retail establishments, grocery stores or when riding any form of public transportation. The new order also requires all essential retail establishments to make staff wear face coverings.
The order specifies the mandate extends only to customers who are 9-years-old or older. Those with children between the ages of 2 and 9 should use “reasonable efforts” to have those individuals use face coverings.
Massachusetts
Gov. Charlie Baker issued an order effective May 26 requiring the use of face masks in indoor and outdoor public spaces when social distancing is not possible, including on public transportation or ride-sharing services.
Michigan
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an order June 17 requiring the use of face masks when entering a grocery store or pharmacy.
Nevada
Gov. Steve Sisolak issued an order June 24 requiring the use of face masks in any public space, including while using public transportation, public facing work environments, when patronizing businesses or interacting with others in any generally publicly accessible space.
New Jersey
Gov. Phil Murphy issued an order April 8 requiring customers and workers to use face masks at essential businesses. Businesses must provide, at their expense, such face coverings and gloves for their employees, according to the order.
The order states that if a customer refuses to wear a cloth face covering for non-medical reasons and if such covering cannot be provided by the business, then the business must not allow the customer in. An exemption is made for businesses providing medication, medical supplies, or food, in which case the business policy should provide alternate methods of pickup and/or delivery of such goods.
New Mexico
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued an order May 15 requiring the use of face masks when around others in public, including at the grocery store, pharmacy, health clinic and when traveling on public transportation.
New Mexicans and out-of-state visitors will now face $100 fines if they don’t wear a mask, the governor said July 1.
New York
Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an order effective April 17 requiring the use of face masks when in a public place and when unable to maintain social distance.
North Carolina
Gov. Roy Cooper issued an order June 24 requiring people 11 years or older to wear face masks in public spaces when unable to maintain social distance.
The order specifically calls out child care facilities, day camps and overnight camps, where workers, all other adults, and children 11 years or older must wear face coverings when they are or may be within 6 feet of another person.
Oregon
Gov. Kate Brown issued an order effective July 1 requiring the use of face masks in indoor public spaces. The order applies to business owners, employees and members of the public visiting indoor public spaces.
Children under 12 years old, as well as people with a disability or a medical condition that prevent them from wearing a face covering, are not required to wear one, according to the order.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Health issued an updated order July 1 requiring the use of face masks in indoor public spaces and in outdoor public spaces when social distancing is not possible, at health care facilities, on public transit and ride-sharing vehicles, and when engaged in work when interacting with the public.
Rhode Island
Gov. Gina Raimondo issued an order effective May 8 requiring the use of face masks in indoor and outdoor public spaces, when social distancing is not possible.
Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott issued an order effective July 3 requiring the use of face masks in public spaces in counties with 20 or more active COVID-19 cases. The governor also issued a proclamation giving mayors and county judges the ability to impose restrictions on some outdoor gatherings of over 10 people.
The order does not apply to people while eating or drinking, swimming, exercising or those under 10 years old.
