Now that mask mandates are being dropped in most states, do you think they could ever be re-imposed?

We have had a mask mandate for two months in California in response to the omicron spike. But the spike passed a month ago, and all the numbers that have been followed improved (infection rates, hospitalizations, vaccinations).

I agree that a new infection woul d be met with resistance to protocols. But in the Bay Area, people are willing to abide by them if they make sense and protect people.

I have wondered if the falling infection numbers reflect more about the fact that there are so many people doing at-home tests now, and positives are therefore going unreported. The death rate stats I see don’t seem to be falling significantly.

I don’t think it’s safe to drop the mandates, yet, and I doubt they could be re-imposed with any success at all, as a large percentage of the population (including some here) really doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the ones who are ikely to get very ill, and maybe be damaged for life, if they live.

Will they be able reimposed; probably not! Should they – -Yes . . . there will be another variant and another!
There are deer running around with COVID-19 for making a new variant.

Yesterday 3570 people died from COVID-19, most are the 25% of the unvaccinated and some are followers of Joe Rogan but all of them are dead.

I’m not sure. Mandates were dropped last summer and re-instated when the Delta variant arose and there wasn’t much problem going back to masking in the Bay Area. I think re-instating a mandate may meet more resistant in other areas. But ultimately I think this cycle of relaxing mandates and restrictions then reinstating them when a new variant arises could go on for a while (well, in blue states. I think states like Florida will continue to have no mandates and keep “raw dogging” it with the pandemic).

They can be put back in but I don’t worry much about covid.

I believe mask mandates can be reinstated if we have another spike. I think many people will choose to wear masks in public for years.
My wife likes to go to the Indian casinos. While there, I would notice a lot of Asian women would wear masks. This was years before the pandemic.
If you have some of the populous recognizing the need, it will be easier to shepherd the rest.

I think it far more likely that mandates might disappear, but people wearing masks in this country will be a trait entrenched in this society well into the future. And this will most certainly as @Demosthenes notes be distinguished along blue/red divisions. There will be individual businesses requiring masking of both workers and customers; while others vehemently reject such measures as impositions on their freedom. The struggle will be rancorous to the extent that measures will be enacted enforcing the legality of either position such that private enterprises be prohibited from requiring masks in Florida while being recommended and accepted as the norm in California. The courts will inevitably be involved. But the mask dispute is here to stay, and @Zenvelo is correct, here masks persist as every bit the norm, and ypu will bechallenged almost anywhere you appear without one.

I think it will get harder and harder to make the populous submit simply because the politicians tell us to. I know that many people consider it a small imposition but many of us consider it a major problem. Personally I have trouble breathing with the mask on and have trouble hearing those that are masked. The science seems to be all over the map on how effective masks are so unless there is some definitive data, it will be difficult for me to accept more mandates. Wear a mask if you want (I haven’t heard anyone advocate outlawing masks) but don’t expect me to jump in line. The sky is not falling.

Yes, especially if COVID comes back with a new, more contagious, deadlier form.

Around here, a lot of people are wearing them still but a lot of people are very against being mandated. There is also still a lot of resistance to students being made to wear them in school. Where I live, it’s probably half Republican and half Democratic. The Dems seem ok with masks, the Repubs are against it, at least in this area. I think if mandates came back, many would protest.

It’s fascinating how this issue is defined straight up on red-blue lines.

@HP Yep. It’s interesting how a disease isn’t political but the response to it 100% is. What I’m wondering is what is the situation in the states have basically decided that the pandemic doesn’t exist? Are they having significantly higher case rates and deaths or is it roughly the same? Do all these restrictions actually work?

NY Times used to have Covid articles free whether you are a subscriber or not. I am a subscriber so I am not sure if this is viewable by everyone, but they have daily statistics. One would have to look and research but it’s here for those who would like to look into it, @Demosthenes: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html

^ @jca2 – This is still free from Google search. It states that the data is sourced from the NYT. Located here.

@product: Thanks! The question that @Demosthenes is asking is a good one but needs to be researched to answer.

Over 91% Democrats vaccinated, while only 60% Republicans have taken one shot, data reveals. December 17, 2021

“A total of 25 out of every 100,000 residents in counties that voted for Donald Trump died of Covid in October, compared with the 7.8 per 100,000 in counties that voted heavily for Biden, according to the data analysis from the Times.”

No matter, I am still going to wear mine.

ditto

Really high death rates increase might lead to mask mandate calls. Might.

Here, the local parents’ groups are whipping up into a frenzy on FB, about the Governor not rescinding the mask mandates for schools. They’re talking about keeping their kids home to protest tomorrow (Friday), which is just stupid, and they’re sounding enraged about the whole thing. The thing is, if the Governor dropped the mandate for schools and for some reason positivity rates went up among school aged kids (because there are a lot of kids in close proximity when they’re in school), the Governor would take the blame. Yet if she doesn’t drop the mandate, the parents are enraged and the Governor is to blame. This is why I wouldn’t ever want to be a politician. They’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

I am triple vaccinated but I have elderly and immunocompromised people in my life so I will wear a K95 for the time being.

At my Amazon site we received notification today (Feb 10, 22): “There has been a sharp decline in COVID-19 cases across the country over the past weeks. Along with increasing vaccination rates across the country, this is a positive sign we can return to the path to normal operations. Below, please find important updates to our temporary COVID-19 policies and procedures.

Face Coverings No Longer Required for Fully Vaccinated Employees”

Bu we also rec’d the daily, “We have been notified of reported positive cases of COVID-19” in the building.

The county I live in is the only county in Wisconsin that has had a mask mandate since last fall. When our first mandate was issued it was stated that it was only temporary and it would expire in a month. It’s been extended every month since. The current mandate lasts until March 1 and we’re all wondering if it’ll be the last for now.

I think they could be, and I think they will be.

Around here (No. Cal.), I would not expect a problem with compliance. This is the county where the first lockdowns went into effect nearly two years ago. Dr. Sarah Cody appears to have a lot of credibility, and rightly so.

I see masks on everyone, even people out for a walk alone. I’ve never seen anyone protest or make a fuss or challenge the rule.

Some time off from masks would be nice, but I think people are more likely to keep wearing them even after the mandate is relaxed than they are to resist a new mandate when things get worse again.