Mask Mandates in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic

[1Matthew]

Mask Mandates in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic

It is without a doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the worst things to happen in recent United States history. First, let's look at some of the facts and statistics regarding the 2020 Covid pandemic. According to the CDC, in the United States alone there have been more than 100 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, this doesn’t include the unconfirmed cases, because many people refused to get tested. There were more than 1 million confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 also according to the CDC. This shows that the COVID pandemic could’ve been handled way better than it was. 

But who is really at fault for the mass breakout of COVID in the United States and what did our elected officials do to prevent the spread? The CDC were the ones to recommend guidelines and mandates for COVID, however governors, mayors, and public health officials were the ones that made them mandatory. Dr. Anthony Fauci, as part of the white house coronavirus task force, advocated for mask use as a critical public health measure. However many Americans were outraged to find out there were mask mandates set in place, and they questioned Dr. Fauci’s authority and reliability. One of the biggest arguments against the mask mandates was that some people struggled to breathe with masks on and stated that masks didn’t even work. This however was proven to be false, studies by John Hopkins University showed that the use of masks in public spaces and poorly ventilated space, helped to prevent the spread.

 

Question: If you had the power to make any law to help stop the spread of COVID, what would you put in place?

 

Question: Do you believe that masks were a key source to preventing the spread of COVID-19?

 

Question: Was Dr. Fauci right for setting mask mandates?

Sources

-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9114791/ 

-https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01072 

-https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-face-masks-what-you-need-to-know 

[6Sergio]

I do believe that masks were a key source preventing COVID.  They helped reduce the spread by reducing transmission when people talk beacuse that is what there made for. They also help with providing a barrier that helps reduce the risk of inhaling harmful substances. There has been enough evidence so safely say that masks help and were a key source helping prevent COVID. 

[1Matthew]

I agree that the masks helped reduce the spread of COVID-19, and I also agree that they act as a barrier to reduce the inhalation of harmful substances 

[6Kirk Hol]

I would put more security at airports for both outgoing and incoming flights. I think that masks helped tremendously, but are not garenteed to prevent the virus. I think doctor Fauci was right for the mandates that were put in place.

[6jacob]

If I were able to stop covid with a law you could call me a superhero. It is impossible, I do not believe that masks prevent any sort of spread from Covid nor do they help prevent you from getting it. Masks were made to protect others not yourself. I believe that Dr Fauci was wrong and the mask mandate just caused anxiety and stress.

[2zach]

people wore masks to keep the deisease from spreading. I dont think that the masks helped stop covid because the flow of the disease didnt stop even when people wore masks.

[1Matthew]

I agree that the disease didn't stop after people started wearing masks, however I still belive the scientists that say they did help stop the spread. There was no way for the disease to just be wiped out. 

[6barrett]

I wouldn't change any law that were put in place at the time I would have encouraged people to use mask in public places but i wouldn't force them to wear them if they didn't want to. I think that he shouldn't have put a mandate out and just left it up to the people. 

[1Mason]

The mask was not as effective at slowing the spread of covid as much as medical treatments, vaccines, and a short period of quarantine was. I'm not a doctor so im not 100% sure but Dr. Fauci definatley went overboard on the masks and social distancing thing.

[1Matthew]

I agree that masks were not the best at stopping the spread, but I also think they definately helped. I do also belive that there are medical treatments that also do a good job. 

[1Kenli]

I think having people wear masks help prevent the spread of Covid, but I don' t know if it prevented it all together. There were still a lot of peopel who were dying because of the virus so I don't really know if the masks helped a lot. Sure, they decreased the spread but some masks were more protective then others so some were just fabic over the face.