MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A spokeswoman for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Monday that the state’s mask mandate will end April 9 despite the president’s request for states to reinstate, or maintain, restrictions.
“As Governor Ivey has previously stated, Alabama’s mask mandate ends April 9. We have made progress, and we are moving towards personal responsibility and common sense, not endless government mandates,” Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola said in a statement.
The governor’s spokeswoman issued the comment after the White House asked states to maintain restrictions. President Joe Biden and a top health official on Monday appealed for mask requirements and other restrictions to be maintained or restored to stave off a “fourth surge” of COVID-19.
Alabama has kept a mask mandate in place longer than surrounding states, but Ivey has made clear it will not be extended.
The governor has urged Alabamians to keep wearing them as a matter of personal responsibility.
“After April 9, masks will no longer be a mandate, but they remain one of the most successful tools we have to keep folks safe from COVID-19,” Ivey said last week. Her office released sign templates that businesses could use to request their patrons wear masks.