New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday he will sign an executive order that allows businesses in the state to deny entry to people who are not wearing a mask or similar face covering.
Today I am signing an Executive Order authorizing businesses to deny entry to those who do not wear masks or face-coverings. No mask – No entry.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 28, 2020
The governor said this was important because face masks are important to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has now killed more than 100,000 Americans.
"We're giving the store owners the right to say if you're not wearing a mask, you can't come in. That store owner has a right to protect themselves, that store owner has a right to protect the other patrons in that store," Cuomo said during the daily coronavirus briefing.
"You don't want to wear a mask fine, but you don't have a right to go into that store if that store owner doesn't want you to."
NY Gov. Cuomo: "Today, I'm signing an executive order that authorizes private businesses to deny entrance to people who do not wear a mask or a face covering" https://t.co/hKf82dkUIf pic.twitter.com/g3yHnxXwmp
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 28, 2020
More at Reuters.
