Liberals around the United States have rebelled against the loosening of mask mandates despite an increase in vaccinations and lower coronavirus case numbers.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new mask guidance in April that said individuals who have received the coronavirus vaccine no longer have to wear masks when participating in small outdoor gatherings or activities with other fully vaccinated people. States around the country have lifted mask mandates and relaxed other coronavirus restrictions in response to plummeting case numbers and deaths.
Cases and deaths have continued to drop in states like Texas that have lifted mask requirements and other restrictions. Still, some people, mostly on the left, are fighting against the relaxing mask mandates. (RELATED: Biden Says Its A ‘Patriotic Responsibility For God’s Sake’ For Two Vaccinated People To Wear Masks While Talking Indoors)
Brookline, Massachusetts, announced that it will keep its outdoor mask mandate in place until further notice, overruling CDC and state guidance. The elite suburb just outside of Boston pushed back against school reopenings – despite evidence that in-school transmission was low and remote learning was detrimental to students. Brookline parents largely wanted their children to learn in person, but teachers and public officials opposed it.
Good time to re-up @NoreenMalone‘s great piece about Brookline’s resistance to reopening schools, despite having heaps of parental expertise on how to do it safely: https://t.co/SnPy0pUDEn
— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) May 3, 2021
In New York, residents are hesitant to remove their masks. The New York Times reported that even after the CDC relaxed its mask guidance, there was still a high level of mask-wearing outside in the state. Residents told the Times that they were uncomfortable letting go of masks or wore a face covering to make others feel more comfortable.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser caved to pressure and walked back an order relaxing coronavirus guidelines. Her original order, issued late Friday night, allowed fully vaccinated people to gather with other people who had been fully vaccinated without masks, indoors or outdoors. Bowser updated the order Saturday and said that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people must wear a mask inside.
Oregon also tightened restrictions and put in place an indefinite mask mandate Friday, ABC10 News reported. In 15 counties, indoor dining is banned and outdoor dining at bars and restaurants has limited capacity.
Oregon Governor Kim Brown said that she hopes the state would open by the end of June.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced Friday that they have extended their mask requirement through September 13. The original mask requirement was set to expire on May 11.