Gov. Andrew Cuomo Orders All New Yorkers To Wear Masks When In Public

Former N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) (Image: Getty)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-New York) announced on Wednesday that all New York citizens outside in public must wear masks or have their mouth and nose covered starting on Friday.

The order will only apply, however, in situations where people cannot maintain social distance.

“[Say] you’re walking down the street. [Are] you walking down the street alone? Great. You’re now at an intersection, and there are people in the intersection. [Are] you going to be in proximity to other people? Put the mask on,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo said there will be a three-day notice before the executive order is officially mandated. He also warned for possible penalties for non-compliance.

Coronavirus deaths are starting to show in New York state. However, Cuomo said that New York is “still in the woods.”

As of Wednesday night, there are over 213,779 cases of the coronavirus reported in New York, including 118,302 in New York City.

“It has been the most painful number every day,” Cuomo said on Tuesday.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump and Cuomo argued over who has the power to reopen the economy in New York state.

“When somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total,” Trump said on Monday, asserting his absolute power over the matter of opening or closing the U.S. economy.

In response, Cuomo rejected his claim noting that the United States doesn’t have a “king,” but a “constitution.”

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