MADE TO MASK
Ohio and Indiana issue MANDATORY mask orders while in public starting with kids as young as EIGHT
THE state of Ohio and Indiana have issued a mandatory mask order while out in public - starting with kids as young as eight years old.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine made the announcement during a Wednesday afternoon press conference, reported.
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A state-wide mask order, for anyone over 10 years old, will be in effect starting Thursday, July 23 at 6pm.
DeWine said: "Wearing masks will make a difference. It will determine what our fall looks like.
"We want kids to go back to school, we want to see sports.
"To do that it’s very important that all Ohioans wear a mask."
Masks will be required at an indoor location that's not considered a residence, outside when six-feet social distancing is not possible from those "not in your household," and waiting for or "riding, driving, or operating" public transportation.
Those exempt from the mask order are anyone under the age of 10, people with a medical condition or a disability or those communicating with someone with a disability, and anyone who chooses to actively exercise or play sports.
Officiants at religious services, people who are involved in public safety, and anyone actively eating or drinking are also not required to wear a mask.
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Indiana governor Eric Holcomb also announced a mandatory mask order on Wednesday during a press conference.
The order, which applies to anyone age eight or older, will begin on Monday, July 27.
Masks must be worn in "indoor public spaces, commercial entities or transportation services, or outside public spaces when people cannot socially distance."
According to the new guidelines, children ages two to seven are strongly recommended to wear masks.
Similar to Ohio's rules, exceptions will be allowed for "medical purposes, strenuous physical activity, eating, and drinking," reported.
“We have, as Hoosiers, worked very hard to get to where we are today. Businesses are open and operating at various levels of capacity. People are getting haircuts, myself included,” Holcomb during the Wednesday briefing.
"We don’t want to dial it back or put it in reverse or, as some are, shutting down again. Face coverings can and will help us blunt this increase. It has in other places around the country and, indeed, around the world.
In addition to the state-wide mask ruling, the Ohio governor announced a travel advisory.
DeWine wrote to : "Today, I’m announcing a travel advisory for all individuals coming into #Ohio from states reporting positive testing rates of 15% or higher for #COVID19 and recommend that those individuals self-quarantine for 14 days."
"This situation is not unique. We have heard from multiple local health departments that they are tracing cases related to out-of-state travel.
"Trips to states where there are high positivity rates, such as South Carolina and Florida, are leading to outbreaks here in Ohio."
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Anyone traveling to Ohio from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho are urged to self-quarantine upon arrival.
""We know all of these things are sacrifices, but we hope that these are short-term sacrifices for something that we all want to see," DeWine explained.
"That is this virus under control and to be able to do more things as we move into the fall."
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