WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — As COVID-19 cases continue to climb, Savannah's mayor and city council are discussing whether to require people to wear masks in public.
Mayor Van Johnson says their rising numbers are enough to act on an 'emergency basis' and create a mandate to make masks mandatory.
So what could that mean for other cities in Georgia?
Mayor Randy Toms says he doesn't think they are even able to do that under Governor Brian Kemp's executive order.
"We interpret it as we can't do anything more or less restrictive than the governor's order, and so we are complying with that," says Toms.
Perry Mayor Randall Walker says they interpret the order the same way.
"It's only strongly recommended that you wear face coverings."
He says he doesn't think Perry has the resources to enforce a mandate like that.
"I don't know how you would enforce it. It would be very difficult enforcement," says Walker.
Frederick Nelson says he wears a mask everywhere he goes, whether it's mandatory or not.
"I wear one every time I go in a store because it's just... I don't know these people and it's just a safety thing," says Nelson.
Sammie Coene agrees.
"I feel like it's safer to wear a mask than to go out naked without anything on. I'm just trying to be safe."
Both Toms and Walker still encourage everyone to wear a mask and follow other CDC guidelines.
"I just keep reminding people that they need to social distance, they need to wash their hands and they need to wear a face covering," says Walker.
"In a situation like this, the best answer is to always overreact. I think that, you know, you always question yourself later whether you overreacted, but I would rather do that than under-react," says Toms.
Mayor Toms also says there is always the chance Kemp's executive order could change during his weekly update and local municipalities would have more control over the restrictions they put in place.
As of June 23, Houston County has 519 positive COVID-19 cases and 20 deaths.
Chatham County, where Savannah sits, is about twice as big and has 872 cases.
Houston County's case rate is slightly higher.
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