Mask Ordinance In Huntsville's Future?

With the number of hospitalizations on the rise, WAAY 31 is learning more about if and when the city and county could decide to force you to wear a mask.

Hospitals across north alabama are feeling the recent spike in cases.

Today -- we learned there are 70 in-patients across north alabama.

23 of those are in madison county.

We also know there are 16 combined patients in marshall medical north and south.

There are 7 in helen keller hospital.

With the number of hospitalizations on the rise -- today we learned more about if and when the city and county could decide to force you to wear a mask.

Waay 31's max co-han is live outside city hall.

He asked the mayor where huntsville stands on mandatory masking.

Mayor tommy battle told me the city is not currently in a position where a mask policy is needed...but that doesn't mean it's not being talked about.

"in areas where you can stay separated, you may not need to wear a mask.

But in those areas where you come close to people, you've got to wear a mask."

Huntsville mayor tommy battle has been very vocal about mask use in the community.

Though he is urging people to wear them, he says the community is not at a point where they need a mask policy yet.

Huntsville hospital ceo david spillers is also a strong advocate of mask use.

He says it's not political, it's just logical.

"i think that that's the single most important thing we could do.

To try to minimize the spread of coronavirus."

Today i asked the mayor what number of new cases it would take for the city to give the policy serious consideration... "if we got closer to 700, you think maybe that would be a consideration for the policy?

It would be a consideration for the policy.

" but with that would come the challenge of enforcement...a point the city has not given much consideration to.

"how would you enforce it, how are you gonna make sure that four year old keeps his mask on.

I have a four year old grandson, it's gonna be kind of hard to keep him in a mask."

Battle says they haven't taken a hard look at an ordinance or how one would be enforced, but said the city would be in contact with montgomery and birmingham - who both have policies in place - to discuss some of their best practices....repo rting live in huntsville, max cohan, waay 31 news.

Thank max.

Battle said he believes the community will get through the pandemic better than any other community in the state -- if they mask, sanitize