Baltimore reinstates mask mandate as delta variant fuels rise in cases

HANGING OUT WITH YOUR LOST SOCKIN THE DRYER.

RETURNING TONORMAL HAS HIT THE REVERSECYCLE AS BALTIMORE MAYORBRANDON SCOTT, TELLS US TO PUTOUR MASKS ON INSIDE STARTINGMONDAY MORNING -- REGARDLSESIF YOURE VACCINATED OR NOT.WMAR-2 NEWS RAY STRICKLAND ISLIVE IN BALTIMORE.

RAY, THEDELTA VARIANT IS A BIG REASONFOR THIS POLICY CHANGE RIGHT?YEAH IT IS JAIME AND BECAUSEOF THE DELTA VARIANT THE CITYOF BALTIMORE IS NOW CLASSIFIEDAS AN AREA WITH A SUBSTANTIALTRANSMISSION RATE.

NOW, THEMAYOR SAYS THE MANDATE SHOULDHELP SLOW THE SPREADBUT HESAYS THE BOTTOMLINIE S PEOPLENEED TO GET VACNACITEDBaltimore mayor Brandon Scottdid not mince words when hespoke during a news conferenceTHURSDAY.

HE announceD thecity will reinstate its indoormask mandate.

4:39“I reallyneed baltimore to hear me wheni say that people willcontinue to die if we do notget more people vaccinat.edmore people will die this isnot fear mongering.

This isreality.

We lost so many moreand we will continue to loseremo if people do not getvaccinated” The mayor saysnew virus cases in Baltimoreincreased 3% 74over the lastfour weeks He says thatmainly because of the morecontagious delta varianandtpeople refusing to tahe tkevaccine.

To slow the spread,the mayor says regardless ofyour vaccination status, youwill have to wear a maskindoors starting on Monday at9 am.

2:44:28 Nobody obviouslywants to wear a mask.

ButRachel Cooper from BrightsideBoutique in Hampden agreeswith the mayorsaying itdue to the delta variant thatnow accounts for nearly lalnew cases in the state.

48: 13“I hope people are receptiveof it” Cooper ALSO SAID shehopes people will berespectful and abide by themask mandate.

Back in May, oneof their employees was nearlyattacked by a customer whorefused to put one on.

2:42:19“We want customers to reallylike respect what the mandateis and we are going to have asign posted and we hope peoplerespect and not compromise thesafety of our elompyees or ourcustomers” 2:48:56:“ I donagree with it” Tony Helrfesays a mask should be apersonal choice.

He alosbelieves the mandate willdrive people to the county2:49 17“The city loses moneybecause of some people notwanting to wear their mask soif therecan that you donwear a mask, theygo there”AND BALTIMORE ISNAREA IN MARYLAND TO REINSTATITS MASK MANDATE.

PRCEINGEORGEEARLIER TODAY THAT IT WILLO DTHE SAME EFFECTIVE ON SUNDAY.REPORTING LIVE IN BALTIMORE,RAY STRICKLAND WMAR-2 NEWSIF YOU GET A PAYCHECK FROM THESTATE, YOUR BOSS, THE GOVER