Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger has strongly advocated for wearing masks in the past few months, giving his podium to local doctors at news conferences to underline the importance of face coverings in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and keeping the economy open.
On Wednesday, Coppinger again emphasized that science supports masks as Hamilton County, and the surrounding region, is in the midst of a surge in new cases.
“In no circumstances should you be without a mask when you’re attending functions, or without social distancing,” he said.
Yet, the fruits of Chattanooga’s location, sitting on the border with two states and surrounded by rural areas, in other ways pushes against the public health interventions the county is undertaking to stop the coronavirus.
Wearing a mask stops the spread of respiratory droplets that are released when someone speaks or laughs and may contain the virus. Masks become more effective at stopping the spread when they are widely used.