The mayor of Palm Beach County is taking an empathetic tone when it comes to the mask mandate.
"I know that it's a pain in the butt. I know that it's uncomfortable and I know that there's probably some tangential side effects of having a society wear these things for a year."
He says those effects may have to do with the way we communicate with others in public, while having a mask covering our mouths.
Still, Dave Kerner says the mandate will likely remain in place until the medical experts suggest it's safe to lift it.
Under the governor's orders, counties can't punish individuals for violating mask orders, but Palm Beach County has a compliance team that monitors businesses to ensure they are following the rules.
The mayor made the comments while speaking with CBS 12 News, shortly after he wrapped up his virtual State of the County address on Wednesday.
Photo: Getty Images