Arnold Schwarzenegger and three other former California governors joined Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday in a video campaign promoting the use of face coverings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“This is not about being weak,” Schwarzenegger says as he holds up a mask in a public service announcement also featuring Jerry Brown, Gray Davis and Pete Wilson.
Californians look out for each other - no matter who you voted for.
— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) June 22, 2020
CA Governors @gavinnewsom @JerryBrownGov @schwarzenegger @GovernorDavis & Pete Wilson know the fight against #COVID19 isn't over - wear a mask! ? #YourActionsSaveLives pic.twitter.com/fROVI2HJWI
The PSA follows Newsom’s order last week requiring Californians to wear face coverings in most indoor settings and outdoors when physical distancing isn’t possible. Newsom issued the order as new cases and hospitalizations rise.
On Saturday, there were 3,574 people hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California, the highest number since the state began reporting data. The previous high was 3,497 on April 29.
The message from the former governors — two Republicans and two Democrats — is that nobody wants to wear masks but COVID-19 is still spreading and halting it is important to keeping people safe, reopening businesses and putting people back to work.
“Just do it,” Schwarzenegger says.
Newsom said in a statement that science shows that face coverings and masks work.
“Simply put, we are seeing too many people with faces uncovered — putting at risk the real progress we have made in fighting the disease,” he said.
