The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors announced Thursday, June 18 that the county would not mandate face coverings in public spaces following Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s decision to grant localities the power to do so.

“We must continue to monitor positive test results as well as hospital and respirator availability. We are not going to mandate mask wearing, but we strongly encourage everyone wear a mask when in public and in enclosed areas,” Yavapai County Board of Supervisors Chairman Craig Brown wrote in the press release.

While not mandatory, county leaders are urging county residents to voluntarily wear masks in public places where respiratory droplets could travel between people.

“People need to understand why we wear masks. It is not just to protect ourselves, but those around us. With such a small percentage of those testing positive having any symptoms at all, there is a good chance someone in your family could be sick and not know it. The only way we are going to keep our positive COVID-19 test results down is to follow the guidelines we have laid out,” Yavapai County Community Health Services Director Leslie Horton wrote.

Chairman Brown went on to state, “We know no one likes wearing a mask, however social distancing and masks are a necessary sacrifice we need to be willing to make for the health of those most vulnerable, and those with underlying health risks, in our county. We all have a personal responsibility to protect those around us. Wearing a mask is a small sacrifice we are willing to make for those we care about.”