The Delta wave has reignited the politically charged debate over face-mask mandates. Here's where and why mandates are being reconsidered
A storefront face-mask sign in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images A week ago, Los Angeles County became the first major metropolitan area to reinstate a mask mandate in indoor public spaces for both unvaccinated and vaccinated residents. And amid a nationwide surge of new COVID-19 fueled by the more transmissible Delta variant, America’s largest county isn’t the only place where universal mask mandates are back on the table.
The patchwork of mandates, recommendations, and opposition regarding face masks Most universal mask mandates throughout the country had been rescinded ahead of the Delta wave, after the CDC updated its guidelines in May to recommend that people who were vaccinated no longer needed to mask up in indoor public spaces in May.
There has also been a return of expanded, albeit less-than-universal mask mandates. For instance, Nevada’s Clark County has once again mandated that all employees of businesses in the county wear face masks while at work regardless of their vaccination status. Less than 40 percent of residents in the county, which is home to Las Vegas, have been fully vaccinated.
Whether or not kids will have to mask up at school will depend on what local and state officials require wherever they live. Boston; Washington, D.C.; and Madison, Wisconsin, have all announced that they will require all public-school students and staff to wear masks regardless of vaccination status. California is requiring face masks in schools, but deferring enforcement to local school officials.
The CDC’s surprise rollback drew criticism from many public-health experts, who warned the move was premature and highlighted how difficult it would be to reinstate mask rules again if needed. Proponents of the move have argued that relaxing the face-mask guidance offered an incentive that would encourage more people to get vaccinated, but there is scant evidence it had that effect.
“In areas that have high and low amounts of vaccination … if you’re unvaccinated, you should absolutely be wearing a mask,” she added. “If you’re vaccinated, you have exceptional levels of protection from that vaccine, and you may choose to add an extra layer of protection by putting on your mask and that’s a very individual choice.”
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