ALABAMA – Alabama’s current order requiring face coverings in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus ends April 9 and Gov. Kay Ivey has made it clear it won’t be extended.
An online petition, however, is asking Ivey to change her mind and extend the order indefinitely.
The petition – launched March 4 – has picked up 2,661 signatures.
“It is too early to lift this mandate; if we do, we will likely see another surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. Until many more are vaccinated, it’s just not safe enough to lift this mandate. We can drastically limit the spread of the virus by continuing to social distance and wear masks. This mandate is necessary to ensure the health and safety of our friends and family, as well as help speed the process of getting everything back to normal,” organizers said on Change.org.
The chances of that happening are slim, however. In announcing a deadline last month, the Republican governor stressed April 9 would “be the last day we’re going to have a mask mandate.” After that, wearing a mask would be personal choice, she said.
“After April 9, masks will no longer be a mandate, but they remain one of the most successful tools we have to keep folks safe from COVID-19,” Ivey said.
Alabama’s mask order was instituted in July amid rising coronavirus numbers. State case numbers and hospitalizations have fallen sharply in the spring even as vaccine rate increase, prompting many states to loosen COVID-19 restrictions.
Since March, Alabama has reported 514,391 cases of coronavirus with 10,526 deaths.
