More States Easing COVID-19 Restrictions: How to Protect Yourself

• Several states are lifting their mask mandates and reopening businesses 100 percent.
• Health experts recommend people continue to wear masks, practice physical distancing, avoid crowds, and wash their hands regularly.
• As soon as you become eligible for the vaccine, experts say to get whichever shot is available to you.

Several states have lifted their mask mandates and are restarting their economies at full capacity, prompting concerns of further surges of COVID-19.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon ended his state’s mask requirement as of March 16. Texas and Mississippi also recently lifted their mask mandates, joining Montana, North Dakota, and Iowa in a growing list of states that no longer require people to wear face coverings in public.

Other states are planning to follow suit. In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey stated that the mask requirement in her state would be lifted April 9.

What’s more, some states are also moving to reopen their economies.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced businesses are allowed to reopen at 100 percent as of March 10. In Maryland, restaurants, retailers, and other businesses are also now allowed to reopen at full capacity.

Lifting requirements for face coverings goes against guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that everyone should continue to wear face masks and practice physical distancing out in public.

States’ decisions to move forward with easing restrictions have also defied advice from public health officials who have warned reopening the economy too early could lead to another surge of COVID-19 cases.