As the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the US continue to rise, with New York still reporting the maximum infections, Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered residents to wear masks in public where social distancing is not possible.
Despite Cuomo saying that New York had gone past the worst of the pandemic, he ordered the State's 19 million residents to wear masks or substitutes in all public situations where a distance of 6 feet cannot be maintained.
“If you are going to be in public and you cannot maintain social distancing then have a mask, and put that mask on,” Cuomo said in a press conference.
“If you are riding on public transit where it is impossible to maintain social distancing, or walking on a busy sidewalk, you must wear a face covering like a bandana or a mask,” he tweeted.
After an initial health advisory on masks not being necessary for healthy people, the last few weeks has seen several countries reverse this on the advice of medical experts. India and Singapore are among countries that have made it mandatory to wear masks when in public.
