GOP Gov. Brian Kemp is banning Georgia's cities and counties from ordering people to wear masks in public places, even as a growing number of other states are mandating masks. Kemp has instead been trying to encourage voluntary mask-wearing,
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks at the Georgia Cancer Center in Augusta, Ga., Thursday, July 2, 2020, as part of his "Wear a Mask" Fly-Around Tour to promote the wearing of masks as COVID numbers rise in Georgia.
The Republican governor has instead been trying to encourage voluntary mask wearing, including telling fans that reduced infections from mask-wearing would make college football season possible. Wednesday’s numbers showed nearly 2,800 people hospitalized statewide with the COVID-19 respiratory illness, the highest on record and a number that’s nearly doubled since the beginning of the month. The state reports 84% of hospitals’ available critical beds are in use, although some hospitals say they have opened up more space and have more room.
Savannah opened the floodgates when its mayor announced in late June that residents and visitors would be required to wear face coverings inside stores and other public spaces or face a $500 fine. The trend of deaths had hit a low in Georgia on July 9, when the state averaged only 12 newly reported deaths a day over the previous week. Newly reported deaths sometimes happen weeks earlier. But the trend of deaths has since been rising, following upward trends in cases and hospitalizations that began in early June. Georgia is now averaging 24 deaths over the past week, the highest level in nearly four weeks.
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