MARION COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida sheriff told his deputies this week they won’t be wearing masks on the job despite concerns about the coronavirus.

The Ocala-Star banner reported for the first time the emailed message to Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods sent Tuesday to his employees. The Washington Post says the rule is also in place for visitors to the sheriff’s office.

“My order will remain as is while on duty/working as an employee and representing my office – masks will not be worn,” the email said, according to news outlets.

The Star-Banner report says Sheriff Woods outlined some exceptions to his rule: Deputies will be allowed to wear masks in the courthouse, in jail, in public schools, in hospitals and when dealing with a person likely to have coronavirus or at high risk. Woods told his staff that their masks must be “immediately removed” once an enforcement action requires them to issue an order or command, the newspaper reports.

When deputies are working on special events or special details, the Star-Banner says Woods said staff masks will not be worn unless one of the outlined exceptions applies.

“We can debate and argue all day about why and why not. The thing is, the number of professionals who say why we should, I can find the exact same number of professionals who say why we shouldn’t,” Woods said in the email to his employees, according to the Washington Post.

Woods’ email was sent the same day as Florida broke its one-day record for reported deaths. The state health department reported a total of 8,765 Floridians killed throughout the pandemic, along with 133 nonresident deaths.