- Title: New Jersey to make face masks mandatory outdoors as U.S. outbreak widens
- Date: 8th July 2020
- Summary: JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES (JULY 8, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SIGN TAPED IN STOREFRONT DOOR READING (English): 'NO ENTRY WITHOUT MASK' PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET WEARING FACE MASKS PEOPLE ENTERING STORE WEARING FACE MASKS SIGNS AT PAPA JOHN'S PIZZA READING (English): 'TAKE OUT ONLY / DO NOT COME IN WITHOUT A MASK!!' NEW JERSEY RESIDENT, VIJAY WAHI, ENTERING PAPA JOHN'S (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW JERSEY RESIDENT, VIJAY WAHI, SAYING: "I think it is right that everybody should wear the mask and if they are not wearing it, they should maintain a social distance of six feet. By wearing the mask and if there is too much crowded, they can wear the mask and if the space is not there, they can reduce a little social distance. But mask is very mandatory necessity. It is saving the life of people." VARIOUS OF A WOMAN IN A SURGICAL MASK AND FACE SHIELD AND TWO PEOPLE WEARING FACE MASKS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW JERSEY RESIDENT, MISTY RYALS, SAYING: "You really have to do what's best to protect yourself. And since everyone's all over the place with how you catch this disease and who's, you know, contagious and whatnot, I believe that it is important to just wear the mask. And since everyone, you know, we have people that are against wearing the mask, when they are given the option, so I think that making it mandatory is really sort of a good thing for us right now." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WEARING FACE MASKS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW JERSEY RESIDENT, JORGE LOAIZA, SAYING: "Everything for the safety of the public is fine. I wear mine usually. I have been on the streets. I always carry one to go into places because it's mandatory. And if it makes us safer, why not? It's not a big deal anyway. And with this way the mask is a good idea anyway." VARIOUS OF STORE SIGNS READING (English): 'PLEASE WEAR FACE MASK' (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW JERSEY RESIDENT, MISTY RYALS, SAYING: "In certain places like we're seeing in New York, how we're kind of leveling out a bit because we took our time opening, like reopening New York and New Jersey, whereas other states that just opened and stopped people from, you know, kind of protecting themselves are now seeing this surge. So it kind of remains to be seen, you know, but I'm wearing a mask - until further notice." VARIOUS OF STORE SIGNS REQUIRING A FACE MASK TO ENTER VARIOUS OF MOST PEOPLE ON THE STREET WEARING FACE MASKS
- Embargoed: 22nd July 2020 20:43
- Keywords: Phil Murphy face masks
- Location: JERSEY CITY + TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES
- City: JERSEY CITY + TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CLYAQTJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said on Wednesday (July 8) he would sign an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings outdoors to prevent a resurgence of the novel coronavirus whenever social distancing is not possible.
More than 15,000 people have died from COVID-19 in New Jersey, ranking it second after neighboring New York state in the total number of deaths, according to a Reuters tally.
A Democrat, Murphy said at his daily briefing in Trenton, Jew Jersey that requiring the public to wear masks outdoors was critical to controlling the spread of the virus in the state, an early hot spot where rates of the virus have started to creep up again.
"This is absolutely vital when individuals find themselves in a crowded situation, such as when walking down a packed boardwalk or in a line that is not properly spaced apart," he said.
The order would be one of the most stringent coronavirus restrictions on public activity in the United States. Many states require use of masks in public indoor areas and recommend they be used outside.
Murphy is taking action as infections skyrocket in many other states, including California, Florida and Texas, and health officials warn of a coming spike in the death toll from the virus, which has killed more than 131,000 Americans.
The U.S. outbreak crossed a grim milestone of over 3 million confirmed cases on Tuesday (July 7), roughly equivalent to 1% of the population, as more states reported record numbers of new infections.
In Jersey City, New Jersey, Misty Ryals fully supported Murphy's order.
"Everyone's all over the place with how you catch this disease and who's contagious and whatnot, I believe that it is important to just wear the mask," she said. "And since we have people that are against wearing the mask when they are given the option, I think that making it mandatory is really a good thing for us right now."
President Donald Trump, who owns a golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, has eschewed the idea of wearing a face mask and has exhorted Americans to return to their daily routines since the end of mandatory lockdowns imposed in March and April.
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