New York Orders Residents To Wear Masks In Public

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The New York Times: Imposing a stricter measure to control the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Wednesday that he would start requiring people in New York to wear masks or face coverings in public whenever social distancing was not possible. The order will take effect on Friday and will apply to people who are unable to keep six feet away from others in public settings, such as on a bus or subway, on a crowded sidewalk or inside a grocery store. Mr. Cuomo said local governments would enforce the order, but he noted that riders without face coverings would not be ejected from public transit. The pandemic has devastated New York’s public transit system, with 59 workers having died of the virus and 2,269 testing positive for the infection. The state would consider issuing civil penalties to people who fail to abide by the order, but not criminal penalties: “You’re not going to go to jail for not wearing a mask,” Mr. Cuomo said. Permitted face coverings include proper masks, as well as scarves or bandannas, the governor said. Maryland and New Jersey have also issued similar rules.