Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price is urging people in her city to voluntarily wear face masks when they're out in public to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
However the Mayor says she is not planning any mandatory face mask requirements on businesses or individuals.
Mayor Price was one of nine mayors who set a letter go Governor Abbott last week asking for local officials to be given the authority to enforce mask requirements if they felt it was necessary. Governor Abbot has said his executive order does allow local governments to require businesses to mandate masks for their customers or employees.
Mayor Price is counting on businesses voluntarily adopting those measures but is not supporting local government intervention at this time.
"We're hoping our businesses will all comply and have their employees were them, and we're hoping when folks go out that you'll do it to, because it really does help," she said during a presentation on her Facebook account Monday night. "Follow your doctor's advice. We don't want to mandate it. I believe in Fort Worth we get great compliance from people being personally responsible."
Mayor Price spoke with UNT Health Science Center President Dr. Michael Williams, who also urge people to wear face masks in public.
"What we're seeing now in the new data is that wearing a mask may not 100 % protect you, but it definitely helps protect the people around you. That's the important thing. It's a selfless act," Dr. Williams said. "I'm protecting my friends and the people I meet. I want them to know that I care enough about them to wear a mask. We're not requiring them at the Health Science Center either, but we're strongly recommending them."