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Governors across the U.S. have dealt with the same question throughout the pandemic: When is it safe to begin opening up the state without causing another outbreak of COVID-19? This question is not easy. Governors need to take into account how many cases their state has, the costs and benefits of decreasing restrictions and whether the economic benefits outweigh the health risks.

Recently, governors in Texas, Mississippi, Iowa, Montana and North Dakota have all removed the mask mandate and various other restrictions on their residents. The distribution of COVID-19 vaccines has lulled some states into a sense of false security and put the desire to return to “normal” above the safety of their residents. 

Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the mask mandate in the state of Texas on March 10, sparking concerns over how safe his actions are for the health of Texans. Abbott said he still urges residents to wear masks, but the state no longer requires it because the government should not be making decisions for individuals. 

The mask mandate shouldn’t be lifted now because no one benefits from doing so, said Anna McGough, a Syracuse University sophomore and resident of Dallas. But the governor is more focused on maintaining the state’s economy, McGough said.

“For some reason, he can’t maintain the economy’s state while also having a mask mandate,” McGough said. “I think he isn’t considering human safety as much as you would see politicians in the northeast doing. “

About 11% of Texans are vaccinated, and the state’s number of vaccines distributed per capita is one of the lowest in the U.S. With such a low percentage of the state vaccinated, residents shouldn’t feel safe walking around without a mask. 

SU sophomore and Syracuse resident Madeline Tadeux doesn’t think states should remove their mask mandates until the majority of the population has been vaccinated.

“I don’t think it’s a wise decision for states to begin getting rid of the mask mandate just yet because we haven’t reached herd immunity yet with the percent of the population that is vaccinated,” Tadeux said.

New York state still has a mask mandate, but with only 12% of the state fully vaccinated, it has a long way to go until it can safely open up and residents can stop wearing masks. Residents should stay patient and do everything they can to get vaccinated so that the state can open up faster and more people can be protected. 

With numerous studies and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urging people around the nation to wear masks, governors need to listen and keep mandates in place until most people in their state have been vaccinated. 

Masks are not just a helpful suggestion; they’re a way to protect everyone from the spread of COVID-19. The fastest way to return to “normal” is to be as smart as possible about how to prevent the spread until enough people are vaccinated.

Skylar Swart is a sophomore political science major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at saswart@syr.edu. She can be followed on Twitter at @SkylarSwart. 

Published on March 21, 2021 at 10:04 pm