TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — President Joe Biden had a busy first day in office.

And his top priority was among his first actions: Dealing the coronavirus pandemic.

The president is asking Americans to wear masks for 100 days, and he signed an executive order which imposes a mask mandate on federal property.

What You Need To Know

  • President Joe Biden enacted a series of sweeping executive actions on Day 1 of his presidency

  • Among those was  an order mandating "masks and physical distancing in all federal buildings, on all federal lands, and by federal employees and contractors"

  • Gov. Ron DeSantis has not supported a statewide mask mandate

One of the President’s first official tweets was about this new order.

He wrote "wearing masks isn't a partisan issue - it's a patriotic act that can save countless lives."

He goes on to say "It's time to mask up, America."

President Biden also is asking state governments to help in this fight against coronavirus as well.

Out of the 17 executive orders signed yesterday, his 100 days mask challenge was at the top of the list.

Although it only applies to federal properties, it is a symbolic shift from the way President Trump managed the virus.

In Florida, the 100 days mask challenge will not have much impact, because the president does not have any authority over state mandates.

The executive order only suggests governors implement mask mandates, but that decision is ultimately made by individual governors.

And Gov. Ron DeSantis has not supported a statewide mandate. He has argued since last June that different communities should make their own choices in combating the virus.

"In terms of forcing that under criminal law, we aren't going to be doing that,” DeSantis said in June. “I think it would be applied unevenly and I just don't think that it would end upon working, at the end of the day we should be trusting people to make good decisions.

“Floridians have shown they can do that thus far, and I think they will continue to do it in the future." 

Here's what President Biden’s 100 days mask challenge does do:

It makes masks and CDC social distancing required in all federal buildings, on all federal lands, and by all federal employees and contractors.

Most have been adhering to strict mask rules since last year. And secondly, it asks governors to take action on mask mandates.

But Gov. DeSantis and other republican governors will likely not make any changes at the state level but he is also urging all Americans to wear one.