OLD AND BUSTED: Follow the Science.
The New Hotness? Follow the Polling! Democrat Govs. Drop Mask Mandates as Biden Holds Tight to His Science.
Today saw a small wave of Democrats caving to factual science. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy decided to end the mask mandates*.
Delaware Gov. John Carney will end mask mandates on Friday. School mask mandates will cease in March.
So what good old Biden? Logic and facts tell us that children don’t need to be masked. Actually, you don’t need to wear a mask unless you have a cold. The mask is supposed to help you not spread a virus. That’s why before COVID doctor offices asked you to put on a mask if you had cold or flu symptoms.
Does Biden think holding tight to his “science” will help his beleaguered party in November? Jen Psaki said this at the press briefing:
PSAKI: “Well, the guidance is very clear, which is that we recommend masking in schools. That is the recommendation from the CDC. It is also true that at some point, when the science and that data warrants, of course, our hope is that that’s no longer the recommendation, and they are continually assessing that. But the guidance is very clear. It is also true that has always been up to local school districts to make determinations about how to implement these policies.”
I’m laughing so hard. I know the majority of those governors changed their minds because of midterms. I cannot imagine how frustrated they are with Biden right now.
The Democrats stand to lose a lot in November. The governors of these poor states loosening their grip on their citizens might help. The biggest help would come from Biden and D.C. I don’t see Nancy Pelosi going against the old man.
In addition the above, AP is reporting: California to lift indoor mask mandate for vaccinated people on Feb. 15, Newsom says. After Feb. 15, unvaccinated people still will have to be masked indoors, and everyone, will have to wear masks in high-risk areas.
Also: Connecticut’s Ned Lamont to End Statewide School Mask Mandate on Feb. 28.
On the other hand there’s Illinois: (Video) Illinois Governor JB Pritzker: Illinois Might Have to Wear Masks Forever.
* Note though, the caveats in New Jersey, with similar ones possible in other states: Although “Murphy is lifting the state mask mandate, he’s not issuing a DeSantis-style ban on local governments from implementing their own mandates. If you live in a Democratic-run community, as most people in New Jersey do, odds are good that the ‘forever pandemic’ mentality in schools requiring perpetual masking will persist. It’ll just be the school board that’s to blame instead of Murphy. Or rather, it’ll be the ‘safety first’ approach of liberal parents pressuring the local school district to reinstate masking requirements that’ll be responsible.”
Exit question from radiologist Pradheep Shanker: “All the people that were furious that [Glenn Youngkin] ended mask mandates in Virginia a month ago…I presume you are just as angry at Democratic Governors today?”
UPDATE: Gooder and harder, Los Angeles: “Despite the state’s new announcement, the Los Angeles County Public Health issued a statement Monday evening saying the county will not align with the state’s stance on ditching the mask mandate after February 15. The Los Angeles County Public Health said COVID-19 transmission is still ‘high and substantial,’ as reasons to not follow the state’s decision to soon parting ways with the mask mandate. Last week, County Health Director, Dr. Barbara Ferrer said the county will consider itself out of the current COVID-19 surge when virus-related hospitalizations fall below 2,500 for seven straight days. Once that mark is reached, the county will no longer require masks at outdoor mega-events, such as football games, or in outdoor spaces at schools and child-care facilities. Meanwhile, health officials say they are continuing to evaluate the masking requirement for schoolchildren.”
(Updated and bumped.)