New York, Jul 3 (IANS): Knox County in the US state of Tennessee has voted to make wearing a mask mandatory for anyone inside certain buildings amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Board of Health Officials for Knox County voted 7-1 in favour of the mandate.

It is interesting to note, however, that singular vote against making the wearing of masks compulsory was from the county's Mayor, Glenn Jacobs, who is known to professional wrestling fans, and most of the world in general, as WWE Superstar Kane.

Jacobs, who rose to fame as the masked figure Kane in the world of professional wrestling, was one of two individuals on the board who were not medical professionals, the other being a representative for Knox County schools, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports.

The order will require most people to wear face masks while they are within 6 feet of others in most public indoor places in Knox County. Excluded are places of worship as well as state and federal government facilities.

"While I realise the importance of mitigating the damage that this pandemic is causing in our community, I worry that one-size-fits-all mandates such as this set a terrible precedent for government overreach," Jacobs, who has rarely been seen wearing a mask during the pandemic, said in a video posted Thursday.

"They're difficult to enforce, and they can cause conflict between the authorities and the public when enforced."