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A growing number of governors and mayors are working to slow the spread of the coronavirus by requiring people to wear masks in public places. Experts say these public health rules will reduce the risk of people getting sick. But some local police and sheriffs are refusing to enforce the rules. (Mann, 7/8)

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday called for a "national mask-up campaign," saying it is necessary for everyone, even those in the White House, to wear masks to stem the spread of coronavirus as the number of cases surge across the US. "It's incumbent on every one of us to mask-up, from the White House, to the state house, everywhere in between," Whitmer said. "We are seeing this play out across the country. We have to do our part to make sure that doesn't happen." (Duster, 7/7)

Local officials don’t have the authority to require that residents use masks to halt spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday, a day after the mayor of Muscatine issued such an order. Asked at a news conference about Muscatine Mayor Diana Broderson’s order, which took effect Monday, Reynolds said local officials need the governor’s approval to implement such rules. (Pitt, 7/7)

Kaiser Health News: In Texas, Individual Freedoms Clash With Efforts To Slow The Surge Of COVID Cases

The Fourth of July was a little different this year here in Texas’ biggest city. Parades were canceled and some of the region’s beaches were closed. At the city’s biggest fireworks show, “Freedom Over Texas,” fireworks were shot higher in the air to make it easier to watch from a distance. Other fireworks displays encouraged people to stay in their cars. After weeks of surging COVID-19 cases and dire warnings that Houston’s massive medical infrastructure would not be able to keep pace, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order on July 2 requiring Texans to wear masks in public, after previously reversing course on the state’s reopening by again closing bars and reducing restaurant capacity. (West, 7/8)

With coronavirus cases rising, Yolo County on Tuesday passed an urgency ordinance giving county code officers the authority to fine businesses up to $10,000 for refusing to comply with state and county safety measures, including not requiring patrons to wear masks and allowing indoor dining. The ordinance, which goes into effect immediately, is the first such crackdown by a county in the Sacramento region. Cities in Southern California have imposed ordinances with fines in recent days. (Bizjak, 7/7)

Starting Thursday, wearing a face covering, like a mask, in public spaces will be required in Marion County. Marion County Public Health Department Director Virginia Caine said the decision to require masks comes from an "abundance of caution" as the amount of COVID-19 cases increase in neighboring states. (Kemp, 7/8)

The personal protective gear that was in dangerously short supply during the early weeks of the coronavirus crisis in the U.S. is running low again as the virus resumes its rapid spread and the number of hospitalized patients climbs. A national nursing union is concerned that gear has to be reused. A doctors association warns that physicians’ offices are closed because they cannot get masks and other supplies. And Democratic members of Congress are pushing the Trump administration to devise a national strategy to acquire and distribute gear in anticipation of the crisis worsening into the fall. (Mulvihill and Fassett, 7/7)

As mask rules have caused some controversy on U.S. airlines in recent months, Qatar Airways is taking an even stronger stance by requiring economy passengers and cabin crew to wear both face masks and face shields on board. In its recent announcement, the airline says it will provide passengers with a complimentary kit of disposable protective gear that includes a shield, surgical mask, gloves and hand sanitizer gel. (Compton, 7/7)

So, about masks -- they do next to nothing if you don't wear them properly. Yep, even the cloth coverings touted as the best thing since social distancing have instructions. We've laid them out below, based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. (Andrew, 7/7)