Making Masks Optional
People from different political views argue whether masks should be mandatory. Each political party argues against the other in hopes to persuade them to have the same beliefs and morals. In fact, Avery Kibbeysaid “I find it fun to listen to different political arguments and see what party will win.”
How did face masks become a political issue in America? Many polls have been going around the U.S. asking how likely people are to wear their masks alone and in public. One of those polls found that Democrats voted to say they were more likely to wear their mask than republicans.
Democratic leaders have been more vocal about their belief in the importance of face masks. In a recent conversation, Barbara DeGood said “ I am not a very vocal person, however, I do like to speak up about my beliefs.” Many Democratic governors have made it mandatory to wear face masks in public. As a result, many Republican leaders have spoken out and have been more hesitant to mandate masks, even as their state has started to see an uprising in positive cases.
Throughout the midst of arguments over masks, recently the CDC announced that people who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear a mask indoors or outdoors, and don’t need to follow the social distancing protocols. The CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said “If you are vaccinated, we are saying you are safe, you can take off your mask, and you are not at risk of severe disease or hospitalization from COVID-19.”