With parts of Kentucky’s economy reopening Monday, Governor Andy Beshear has asked residents to wear cloth masks anytime they leave their homes.
Paulette Stewart had on her mask as she waited for the bus along East Broadway.
“I feel that it is a hassle, but that it is necessary,” she said.
She explained that she’s a Christian and because she believes “God is in control” we all need to “practice careful common sense wisdom.
“We are to love our neighbor, and that means to protect our neighbor,” she said
As her bus pulled up, like so many other buses across the city, it’s destination sign flashed “masks required.”
In other parts of Louisville, it was a mixed bag as to whether people adhered to the governor’s mask order. Downtown, a man wore a mask as he delivered a food order, while a number of joggers and people walking dogs in Iroquois Park did so mask free. At a Walgreens a few blocks from the park, most people walking in and out of the building had masks.
The governor has said people won’t be fined for not wearing masks out in public. But his order is a mandate for businesses. It also gives businesses the right to turn away customers without masks. He anticipates this order staying in place until there is a vaccine.
The city of Louisville has an ordinance forbidding people from wearing anything that covers a significant portion of their face. But the mayor told WFPL News the ordinance will not be enforced during this time.