- Texas, Alabama, and several other states are canceling mask mandates and allowing businesses to open at, or near, full capacity.
- Elected officials cite the FDA’s emergency approval of three COVID-19 vaccines as well as emerging therapeutics as rationale for the easing of restrictions.
- Health experts argue that ending the mandates early could lead to a fourth wave of cases and hospitalizations as well as the possible emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.
On March 2, the governor of Texas announced the state would be ending its mask mandate and opening businesses back up to 100 percent capacity.
Mississippi and Alabama followed suit soon after, joining a couple other states — Iowa and Montana — that recently tossed away their mask mandates.
Thanks to the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency approval and rollout of three effective COVID-19 vaccines, many elected officials see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Health experts, however, criticized the Texas governor’s announcement, questioning why the mask mandate would be lifted during the most critical point in the pandemic.
Ending preventive measures too soon could jeopardize the final stretch of the pandemic and possibly lead to another spike in cases and new virus variants, disease experts say.
Source: healthline