Wyoming Governor ‘Concerned,’ ‘Angry’ but Won’t Implement Mask Mandate — Yet
An impassioned Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon implored the state's residents to do slow the spread of COVID-19, which is surging throughout the Cowboy State.
"We are being knuckleheads about this," Gordon said during a news conference Friday. "Our state is at a fever pitch.
"I'm going to ask you to go to yourself and ask yourself do you feel better today about what's going on in this state than you felt maybe in June or July or August when we were one of the lowest states for infection rates."
Today, Wyoming ranks in the top five states for COVID-19 infection rates. Gordon added that everyone seems to know someone who is or has been infected with the virus.
"Let's get serious," he said.
Despite pleading with Wyomingites to take the virus more seriously and take measures to stem its spread, Gordon did not announce any sort of mask mandate, nor did he announce more restrictive health orders.
Gordon said that health professionals have advised him that Wyoming could see as much as 3,000 new virus cases in the near future.
The governor said if he couldn't rely on Wyomingites to take the virus more seriously, he would "have to do something else." State officials will use White House data to determine its next steps — if any — in combating the virus.
Asked if there is a trigger point in new cases and hospitalizations for increased statewide health measures, Gordon deferred to local governments.
"I feel very strongly that they have my support because they know what the conditions are on the ground. We'll certainly work with them on any circumstance," Gordon said. "We have tried to figure out how to be as light in this as we possibly can, and we did a wonderful job all the way through September when we saw cases rise."
Pressed on a statewide mask mandate, Gordon answered, "All things are on the table."
He added that over the next week, changes will be coming and they will "be more restrictive."
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