Savannah is requiring everyone to wear a mask. What about Middle Georgia cities?

With at least one city in Georgia mandating face coverings in public places as positive COVID-19 cases continue to rise, will more follow suit?

Under one of Gov. Brian Kemp’s extended executive orders, everyone is encouraged to wear a face covering when outside their homes except for eating and exercising, according to a Georgia Municipal League summary of the order.

Masks are required for certain businesses, such as for restaurant workers when interacting with patrons, under the order.

Kemp extended the restrictions earlier this week, citing increasing cases and current hospitalizations across the state. He continues to recommend wearing a mask in public settings, practicing social distancing and following guidance from health officials such as frequently washing hands and using hand sanitizer.

Bibb County

Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert said he thinks Kemp is striking the right balance in keeping mask wearing discretionary but requiring them in limited circumstances.

“You can recommend. You can even give some specific circumstances for people to consider,” Reichert said. “Mostly what you do is give people accurate information and then encourage them to be responsible for their own conduct and be considerate of other people.”

A mandatory mask requirement would likely require “zillions” of exceptions, said Reichert, who also questioned how such a measure could be enforced.

“Who’s going to accost them on the street and say, ‘Hey, where’s your mask? Here’s you a citation. Show up in municipal court.’ Who’s got the time, effort and energy to do that?,” Reichert asked. “Instead, you’ve got to strike the right balance. Encourage people to be responsible and considerate and let’s go on from there.”

In Bibb County, all government buildings have reopened, with social distancing encouraged. Face coverings and social distancing are encouraged at the July 7 commission meeting, the first open to the public in months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The county recorded it’s highest single-day COVID-19 case increase on Tuesday with 73 new cases.

Warner Robins

Warner Robins Mayor Randy Toms said that while he understands the importance of wearing masks, he doesn’t think making that mandatory is even an option for local governments.

“Right now to me, it’s fairly simple in that we’re under a governor’s order, and the governor’s order in my legal team’s opinion doesn’t allow us to do anything more or less restrictive than his order,” Toms said. “I know some people disagree with that.

“Apparently Savannah is trying to find ways to disagree with that. But right now, we’re staying on the governor’s order,” Toms said before Savannah’s mayor issued an emergency order Tuesday morning requiring masks in public places.

Savannah’s mandate goes into effect at 8 a.m. on Wednesday until further notice, according to a copy of the emergency order posted on the City of Savannah’s Facebook page. Anyone who enters a commercial building without a mask or face covering is subject to a $500 fine. Churches are exempted but attendees are encouraged to use masks.

Kemp’s executive orders state that local ordinances cannot be more or less restrictive. However, Savannah’s emergency order cites a Georgia law that allows local governments to the power to enact regulations necessary for emergency management purposes and as a “supplement” to the governor’s order.

Toms said Tuesday afternoon that his legal team still thinks that Kemp’s executive order supersedes anything on the local level. But even if he thought local governments had the discretion to mandate masks, Toms said he’s not sure if that’s something the city would pursue.

“I don’t know that mandatory is the right way to go and I don’t know if it’s enforceable,” Toms said.

In Warner Robins, city buildings are “open” by appointment only, with the public encouraged to use online, drive-thru or drop-off payment options instead. Masks are required to be worn by employees when social distancing is not an option and during interaction with members of the public, who also are asked to wear masks, said Mandy Stella, the city’s public information officer.

Perry

Perry Mayor Randall Walker said members of the public are only required to wear masks if they attend council meetings. Council members also wear masks, he said.

Masks are encouraged when entering city hall for purposes other than council meetings, he said.

“I’m satisfied with where we are personally,” Walker said. “I feel like it’s a responsibility of mine if I can’t maintain six feet of social distancing from people I’m with.

“I think it’s my responsibility to protect them and I just do that personally.”

Walker also questioned how the city could enforce a mandatory mask requirement.

“It would have to be something that we self-police — kind of like sheltering in place,” he said.

Robins Air Force Base

At Robins Air Force Base, all personnel are required to wear a face covering when social distancing of at least 6 feet is not feasible, according to memorandum from Col. Brian Moore, 78th Air Base Wing commander, that was posted on Facebook.

The base has a workforce of nearly 24,000.

“As a rule, feasibility means you are able to predict and control the interactions you have with others on the installation, or mitigations exist such as a barrier between cubicles,” Moore said in the memorandum. “To the extent you are not able to predict or control the interactions you have or may have with others (e.g., in a common hallway, in a restroom, in an elevator, etc.), you must wear a face covering. When in doubt, wear a face covering.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public when social distancing is difficult to maintain such as in grocery stores and pharmacies and especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks,” Moore said in the memorandum. “These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

“Studies and evidence on infection control report that these droplets usually travel around 6 feet (about two arms lengths). Wearing a face covering may prevent you from spreading the virus to others, just as others wearing a face covering may prevent them from spreading the virus to you,” Moore said.

Additionally, the mask requirement applies to anyone “present” on base. Refusal to comply may result in temporary restrictions from the installation, according to the memorandum.

The Georgia Department of Public Health also says that wearing a mask or face covering reduces the spread of COVID-19.

“Masks or face coverings act as simple barriers to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the face covering coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice,” the agency posted on Facebook.