LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear's executive order requiring masks in public places took effect at 5 p.m. Friday, but local health departments are still working on the specifics when it comes to enforcing his plans.
"The first step is going to be educating on the importance, making sure people have the supplies they need, connecting them to resources if they don't and then encouraging customers — or now it's mandating customers — to wear their mask," Louisville Department of Public Health and Wellness Director Sarah Moyer said.
Beshear announced the mask mandate Thursday amid rising coronavirus cases around the United States, including an uptick in cases in Kentucky. Under this executive order, people are required to wear a mask inside places of business, including retail shops and grocery stores. People will also need to wear a mask outside if they cannot stay more than six feet away from other people, like while waiting outside a restaurant.
There are exceptions for children under 5 and people with certain health issues. People will also not need to wear a mask when exercising if they are able to stay at least six feet from others.
"It's going to be enforced by local health departments and others and it's going to be as simple as if someone doesn't want to wear a mask in your place of business, then they cannot be served," Beshear said Thursday.
"Wearing a mask today hopefully will let us be able to open our restaurants more or have kids go back to school in August," Moyer said.
When it comes to the actual enforcement of the mandate, Moyer said the health department is working with other local health officials, the county attorney's office, and the state health department in formulating a plan.
"Likely the health department will be involved in those agencies we enforce and control, so making sure our restaurant and pools and the plans we approve include mask-wearing," she said.
Moyer said a lot of the responsibility will also fall on individuals and businesses to look out for themselves and one another.
"It's kind of like a seat belt law that's mandated and how we enforce it. In a way, it becomes self-enforcing whether that's through control mechanisms in the car or with your kids telling you that you can't start until you have your seat belt on. We're hoping it gets to the same place as mask-wearing," she said. "The more you wear the mask, the more you're protecting yourself and the more you're protecting your family and friends and the more you're protecting people in our community that might not have the great immunity that you have."
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.