Politics

Coronavirus

As a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) swept through the world in 2020, preparedness plans, masking policies and more public policy changed just as quickly. WVXU has covered the pandemic's impact on the Tri-State from the very beginning, when on March 3, 2020, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine barred spectators from attending the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus over concerns about the virus, even though Ohio had yet to confirm a single case of COVID-19.

Politics Chat: Can Face Mask Mandates Be Enforced?

91.7 WVXU | By Howard Wilkinson

Published July 10, 2020 at 7:52 AM EDT

coronavirus — As early as January one woman in New York, who works for a pharmaceutical company, began wearing a mask. "I'd wear a mask if I were you," she told the photographer at the time.

On Thursday, Kentucky joined the growing number of states that have instituted mandatory face mask orders in light of the spike in COVID-19 cases. Ohio has issued mandates for its hardest hit counties, including Hamilton and Butler counties.

WVXU Senior Political Analyst Howard Wilkinson spoke with News Director Maryanne Zeleznik about the mandates and whether state and local government are going to be able to enforce the rules. It will be very difficult, he says.