Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms recently said the city will continue requiring masks indoors at buildings owned or leased by the city government.
Bottoms last Friday afternoon issued an executive order directing city employees and anyone else entering city buildings to continue wearing a face covering over their mouth and nose at all times. Anyone who fails to wear a mask after getting a warning will be fined $25 on the first offense and $50 for repeat offenses.
The mayor’s order will not apply to the Chastain Amphitheatre and the Lakewood Amphitheatre, according to the 5-page order obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The executive order comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week said fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks or socially distance in most indoor and outdoor locations unless required by law or local businesses.
Bottoms’ order provides exceptions against wearing masks, such as eating or health conditions, among others. Law enforcement officials can tell people to wear a mask or leave the building if someone fails to wear a mask.
The order also directs that all city buildings, including City Hall, will be closed to the general public. The closure order will not apply to the Atlanta Municipal Court, Lakewood Amphitheater or Chastain Amphitheater.
The CDC’s new guidance still advises fully vaccinated people to wear masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters.