ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp and state Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey issued a joint advisory to Georgians on Friday urging them to wear masks.
"Wear a face covering in public settings, practice social distancing, and wash your hands frequently," a release said.
The advisory asked the public to wear face coverings in a "community setting" where you might unavoidably come into contact with others.
"A cloth face covering should be worn whenever people are in a community setting where social distancing may be difficult such as in the grocery store or picking up food at a restaurant or riding public transportation, and especially in areas of widespread community transmission of COVID-19," the release said. "Cloth face coverings help slow the spread of the virus and help people who may be infected and not know it from transmitting it to others."
The advisory directs the public to CDC instructions on how to make a covering at home.
It adds that the face coverings should not be used on children under 2 or anyone who otherwise struggles with breathing.
See the full release below:
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