West Virginia Governor Issues Mask Order For Indoor Areas Without Social Distancing, As COVID-19 Cases Surge

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice issued an order Monday requiring face coverings or masks in indoor areas where social distancing cannot be maintained.

The executive order, which will be implemented starting Tuesday at midnight, requires all West Virginia residents from the age of nine to wear facial coverings in “confined, indoor places provided social distancing cannot be maintained.” Children under the age of nine, along with residents who have breathing difficulties, are exempt from the order.

“West Virginia, we are absolutely in a situation to where we have got to make a move right now,” Justice, a Republican, said during a COVID-19 press conference. “If we don’t do that and do this now, we are going to be in a world of hurt.”

Justice said he expects “pushback” from the order. “I know it’s not going to be popular, but you didn’t elect me to do popular things,” he said.

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources confirmed 21 new cases of the virus on Monday in its morning report, with a total of 130 new cases reported on Sunday. Over the weekend, two West Virginian women, both over the age of 80, died of the virus after being infected at a church in Greenbrier County in the southeastern part of the state.

As of Monday at 4:10 p.m. ET, there are 3,335 total cases of the virus in West Virginia, with the state’s death toll at 95.

Other states, such as Texas and California, have also issued similar mask mandates. In Texas, first-time violators of the order will be given a warning, with repeat offenders punished with a fine of up to $250.

The U.S. has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world. The U.S. has nearly 2.9 million coronavirus cases and a death toll close to 130,000.