Following her own recent COVID-19 diagnosis, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has just made a major move to stop the spread of the pandemic. Side-stepping Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Mayor Bottoms has officially made wearing masks mandatory in the city of Atlanta.
@AJC reports, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an official order earlier today requiring the use of masks by those in the city. This decision aligns with other local governments, including Savannah and Athens, who are going against Governor Kemps’ order that only encourages the wearing of masks while not making them a requirement.
Mayor Bottoms told local media outlets that she decided to enact the mask requirement following the rising number of coronavirus cases, specifically in minority communities—and also after noting that state officials didn’t stop other cities from enforcing their own mask mandates. “The state has allowed it to stand and we’re going to follow suit. Leading has as much to do with leading as following,” she said. “Right now we’re following other cities in the state.”
There are also other Georgia cities who are in the process of requiring the use of masks including East Point, Doraville and Dekalb County, following Savannah’s lead as it was the first city to adopt the mandatory mask rule earlier this month.
While the details of the order are not currently clear, Mayor Bottoms stated that she is awaiting the final language of the order in written form before presenting to the public. Her decision comes shortly after Governor Kemp recently deployed 1,000 National Guard troops to state government sites in Atlanta over the mayor’s objections.
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