The White House stated that talks are ongoing about how and when the country should move out of the emergency pandemic phase. However, people are encouraged to continue to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation for mask use indoors in areas with high transmission rates.
Let’s take a look at the week that mask rules were in this week.
WHY IS SO MANY PLACES NOW ELIMINATING MANDATES?
It’s the decline in hospitalizations, and the decrease in case counts in all states, even those that have the strictest rules. The World Health Organization’s latest epidemiological report showed that the number of cases fell by 50% in the United States, and 17% globally. In the United States, COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped almost 30% in the past three weeks.
Others have also cited the protection offered by vaccines and the availability of therapeutics for those who contract the virus at-home.
Health care workers are also at risk, according to Dr. Craig Spencer, an emergency room physician in New York City. Many of them have been either exposed or are fully vaccinated. According to Spencer, medical personnel have dealt with COVID for so long that it is now “commonplace” to treat heart attacks and other conditions in an ER.
“Covid is easy to treat for us right now. Spencer stated that we know what to do. “With this new wave, we haven’t seen a lot of severe diseases, and those that we do, we are much more adept at managing them.”
Even so, the WHO head issued a warning Wednesday, stressing that COVID “isn’t over with us,” though its main focus was on vaccines and not masks. It’s becoming more urgent for to find ways to protect the 7 million Americans who have severely compromised immune systems, who are at greater risk as mask mandates drop.
WHERE ARE MASK ROLES EASING?
Nevada was the latest state to abolish indoor mask mandates. This follows announcements made in New York, Illinois the day before. School mandates are still in effect in these states.
Nevada Gov. Nevada Governor.
Sisolak stated that he is aware of some people who think it’s too soon to lift the mandate. However, he indicated that school districts and employers could still establish their own policies.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated that infection rates have fallen to a point where it is safe for the governor of New York to cancel the larger mask order. The state will reconsider in March whether they should be required in schools.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker stated that the state’s indoor mask requirement will be lifted on February 28 assuming a continuing drop in hospitalizations. His office claimed that they are falling faster than any time during the pandemic.
Similar plans have been announced by other places, such as Juneau, Alaska and Orange County in California.
However, not everyone follows suit. Minnesota’s mayors, Minneapolis and St. Paul, announced that they would soon eliminate the vaccine-or-test requirements for bars, restaurants, and other entertainment venues. However, neither of them has spoken about eliminating mask mandates.
Washington Governor. Jay Inslee stated that a mandate for large outdoor events would be removed next, but that indoor requirements will still apply for the time being. “I agree with CDC. Today is not the day for completely eliminating masks. But it is rapidly approaching.”
WHAT IS THE STORY ABOUT SCHOOLS
Nearly a dozen states have face covering requirements for schools. Sixteen of them have indicated this week that they intend to lift the statewide mandates in schools this month or next.
New Jersey Governor New Jersey Governor
Similar announcements were made by Connecticut, Delaware and Massachusetts as well as Rhode Island regarding the lifting of restrictions on schools.
Hemi Tewarson is the executive director of National Academy for State Health Policy. She said that states relaxing or rescinding school mask mandates is an indication of the country’s desire for the next phase after approximately two years. She said that it is also a sign for progress. This includes vaccine availability and finding safe ways to return to in-person education.
Tewarson stated, “You see this hope.” “I believe we all hope that we are on the other side now,” Tewarson said.
Pritzker and Illinois officials stated that they would like masks to remain mandatory in schools for a longer time due to the possibility of a “spillover effect”. Young people who have been vaccinated at lower rates than adults may come together for six to eight hours each day, five days per week, before going out into the community. They might even be in contact with vulnerable family members. This could encourage community growth and bring schools back online.
“Nobody wants children to be back in remote education,” Dr. Emily Landon said, the executive medical director of Infection Prevention and Control at University of Chicago Medicine.
WHAT SAY THE WHITE HOUS, SCIENTISTS, AND HEALTH OFFICIALS?
The CDC recommends that people cover up indoors in public areas with high levels of transmission.
It updated its guidance last month to recommend N95 and KN95 masks, which are used by health workers, over cloth ones. The N95 masks are more snug fitting and contain 95% less harmful particles. The mask’s fibers are tightly pressed together and possess an electrostatic charge which attracts molecules to stick to it rather than pass through.
According to the CDC, it is important that you choose a mask that you will wear every day. Outdoor settings are not the best place for masks.
Despite increasing pressure to relax restrictions, President Joe Biden awaits new guidance from federal officials in the health field.
Jen Psaki, the press secretary, acknowledged that people have grown tired of wearing masks and said “we understand the emotions of the nation.” However, she stated that the administration follows the advice of medical professionals who rely upon scientific evidence. “That doesn’t move at speed of politics; rather it moves at speed of data.”
