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Smyrna and Sandy Springs now mandate masks

The mandate requires people to cover their noses and mouths in public. Here are the details.

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The list is getting longer as two more metro Atlanta cities join the mask mandate list. Sandy Springs and Smyrna have decided to mandate face coverings.

The mandate requires people to cover their noses and mouths in public. It's all in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. 

These decisions come less than a week after Gov. Brian Kemp signed a new executive order that allowed local governments to issue these mandates for government-owned property. They can also be mandated on private property if the owner agrees.

The mayor of each city wasted no time issuing executive orders of their own after the governor backpedaled his stance on local mandates over the weekend.

Gov. Kemp decided orders can be imposed wherever a county or city has reached a "threshold requirement" of more than 100 cases per 100,000 people over the last 14 days. However, the mandates can only directly apply to government property and private businesses have the authority to decide their own policies. 

RELATED: Gov. Kemp signs new executive order allowing local governments to set limited mask mandates

Sandy Springs' order went into effect on Tuesday. Mayor Rusy Paul called it "one of the easiest and most effective means to protect one another from coronavirus." Paul also said it will help to prevent more restrictive measures like closing businesses, schools, or sports seasons. 

Private businesses that opt out have to put a sign in a prominent place to let people know masks are not required inside of their facility. 

Smyrna's order covers the same ground, but it specifies that you can't be denied entry to a polling place without a mask. That order goes into effect on Friday.

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