The mask order instituted by Gov. Kay Ivey under the COVID-19 health state of emergency is set to expire on October 2. However, indicators are suggesting that the order will be extended by Ivey in the coming days.
Despite Alabama’s southern neighbor Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis having issued an order to stop local governments from fining people for not wearing mandated face coverings last week, there is no sign that Alabama will follow suit.
Ivey told Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal” host Don Dailey that she was willing to do what works to maintain what appears to be an improving trend in Alabama on the coronavirus.
“Now, I know a lot of folks grumbled about it and still are,” she said. “But look, it’s working. Our students and teachers are back in schools. Our businesses are open. We’ve got one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. And y’all — it’s working, so we just got to go on being strong. Dr. [Scott] Harris and I will be monitoring the situation closely, and we’ll be making an announcement at the end of this week, the first of next.”
The Governor was asked about her willingness to extend the mask ordinance, to which she acknowledged she was willing despite her own frustrations with masks.”
“Anything to steady the ship and keep us going forward, yes,” Ivey replied. “I don’t like the mask, either. My glasses fog up. It’s a pain in the rear — but at the same time, it’s working, and what’s working we need to stick with.”
Dailey pointed out that COVID-19 data had shown improvements, describing the numbers as having “stabilized,” and postulated that masks “were one way to keep that trend going.”
“For sure,” Ivey replied. “So, we will.”
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.
