RICHMOND, VA — Governor Ralph Northam announced that starting this Friday, face mask or coverings will now be required in all Virginia stores and on public transportation.
“Everyone will need to wear a face covering,” Northam said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
Face masks will also be required in restaurants, except while eating, as the state moves into phase one. Other exceptions include while exercising, those with a health condition prohibiting the use of a mask, and for children 9 and younger.
Northam said the order is in effort to protect our neighbors and first responders, but there will not be criminal charges for those who do not comply.
Tuesday is the second day in a row that the state has seen a record number of new cases with 28 deaths and 1,615 new cases of the virus.