The indoor mask abandoned in New York and other Democratic states

Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images

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PANDEMIC – The Democrats are letting go of the wearing of masks. California, New Jersey, Connecticut and even New York: Democratic-led states in the United States announce this week the lifting of the wearing a mask compulsory indoors, at a time when the epidemic of Covid-19 begins to flow back into the country.

Wearing a mask is a very strong political marker in United Stateswhere the obligation to cover the face is considered an infringement of individual freedoms by a large part of the right and the Republican Party.

900,000 dead since the start of the pandemic

It has also never been imposed in Republican states, such as Florida and Texas, in almost two years of pandemic, which has caused more than 900,000 dead. While it was easily imposed in businesses, schools, administrations, transport and sometimes businesses in democratic states.

But since Monday, states on the East Coast and the West Coast, which traditionally vote Democratic and apply strict health measures, have been committed to relaxation.

In New York State – and its megalopolis epicenter of the pandemic in 2020 – Governor Kathy Hochul is to announce, this Wednesday, February 9, a lifting of the obligation to wear a mask and the presentation of a vaccine pass in closed public places such as eating places, said Tuesday evening the New York Times.

“Towards a return to normal for our children”

According to the newspaper, the authorities intend to calm tensions and frequent conflicts that erupt in shops and restaurants in upscale and conservative areas of the city and the state. But with at least 38,000 deaths in two years, New York remains traumatized and the wearing of a mask is well respected in transport and closed public places, even in the streets.

It was New Jersey, a neighbor of New York, that paved the way. As of Monday, Governor Phil Murphy, narrowly re-elected in November, announced that wearing a mask would no longer be mandatory in all schools in the state from March 7, “a huge step towards a return to normal for our children”.

He was followed by his colleague Ned Lamont, governor of Connecticut, where the mask requirement at school will be lifted on February 28.

Another small state, Delaware – residence of President Joe Biden – also announced Monday evening through the voice of its governor John Carney that the obligation to wear a mask in closed places will be only a memory from this Friday and in schools on March 31.

Reduction in contamination

But it was Governor Gavin Newsom, chief executive of the huge and very populous California (40 million citizens), who made an impression on Monday evening. He announced that from February 15, the mask will no longer be mandatory indoors for all vaccinated residents.

Gavin Newsom invoked on Twitter “a contamination rate down 65% since the peak of the Omicron variant” and a “stabilization of hospitalizations throughout the State”. On the other hand, the wearing of the mask will remain in force in schools and for unvaccinated people, the governor ordering them to “get vaccinated” or receive their third dose.

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NEW: CA’s case rate has decreased by 65% since our Omicron peak. Our hospitalizations have stabilized across the state.

Our statewide indoor mask requirement will expire on 2/15.

Unvaccinated people will still need to wear masks indoors.

Get vaccinated. Get boosted.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) February 7, 2022

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Finally in Oregon, Governor Kate Brown announced on Twitter that she would “lift mask requirements no later than March 31”.

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Oregonians have stepped up during the Omicron surge — wearing masks, getting vaccinated and boosted, and keeping each other safe. Because of your actions, Oregon will lift mask requirements no later than March 31. Thank you. https://t.co/QGJpZyVi5t

— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) February 8, 2022

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Daily contaminations in the United States are in freefall with just under 300,000 cases per day on average over seven rolling days, according to health authorities. Far from the peak of 800,000 cases reached in mid-January.

However, on February 4, the country crossed the bar of 900,000 deaths from Covid-19 in almost two years, according to Johns Hopkins University. The threshold of 800,000 deaths had been passed in mid-December.

Due to the lag between contaminations and deaths, the number of deaths continues to increase in this country where only 64% of the population is fully vaccinated, despite the great ease of access to doses.

See also on The HuffPost: Faced with Covid, immunity is not all or nothing

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