FRANKFORT, Ky. — During his COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that he is issuing an executive order which will require students, faculty and staff in all public and private schools in the state to wear face masks while indoors at school.

The governor said he was impelled to act based on the surge in delta variant cases across the state, which is hitting younger people at higher rates. He said hospitals and intensive care units are seeing child patients in numbers not seen before.

The governor’s order will take effect immediately.