As the new coronavirus emerges in the US, with 71,000 new coronavirus cases nationwide on Thursday, the most in a single day, the debate over whether state governments should require masks has become increasingly more controversial. In recent weeks, a growing number of states have begun issuing new mask requirements.
In an analysis of the 50 states, ABC News found that 28 states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico, have issued mask mandates across the state.
The 28 states that have issued masking mandates are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
ABC News’ analysis includes only state mandates and does not include orders at the city or county level.
In an editorial published by the Journal American Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed the latest scientific evidence related to the use of face masks, including two case studies that offered evidence that they help prevent people infected transmit the virus to others.
“We are not defenseless against COVID-19,” CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield said in a press release, asking Americans to wear masks in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “Cloth face coatings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus, particularly when used universally in a community setting. All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families and their communities. “
“If someone in this nation just covered their faces, practiced excellent hand hygiene, and was smart about distancing themselves from the crowds, we can bring this outbreak to our knees in two, four, six, eight weeks,” Redfield said in a statement. Call with reporters on Wednesday.
Both case studies demonstrated the benefits of wearing masks. One case, investigated by JAMA, showed that compliance with masking policies reduced COVID-12 transmission within a Boston hospital system. Such finding was corroborated by the case, last month, of two Missouri stylists who saw 139 clients symptomatic with COVID-19. Clients and stylists wore facial coverings. The investigation revealed that none of the clients, nor any of their secondary contacts, developed the virus.
However, the issue has become increasingly politicized, particularly with President Donald Trump insisting that it should be voluntary and not mandatory. So far, the president has publicly worn a mask only once, when he visited the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last Saturday.
In Georgia, despite reporting a record number of current hospitalizations this week, and more than 2,000 new cases of coronavirus every day for four consecutive days, Governor Brian Kemp refused to demand the use of masks, urging residents to voluntarily wear a mask for four weeks.
“While we all agree that wearing a mask is effective, I am confident that Georgians do not need a mandate to do the right thing. I know that Georgians can meet this challenge and they will,” Kemp said at a news conference. . .
Kemp issued an executive order annulling local regulations requiring masks in public and filed a lawsuit Thursday to prevent Atlanta City Council and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms from requiring facial masks, describing such orders as “non-enforceable.”
“This lawsuit is on behalf of Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees who are struggling to survive during these difficult times,” Kemp tweeted. “I refuse to sit back and watch disastrous policies threaten the lives and livelihoods of our citizens.”
Similarly, in Oklahoma, a state also with increasing infections and COVID-19-related hospitalization rates, Governor Kevin Stitt, despite testing positive for the virus, remained steadfast in his opposition to implementing a mask mandate.
However, an increasing number of Republican-led states, such as Texas and Arkansas, are now demanding masks, after governors publicly opposed taking such steps in the past.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans, and an increasing number of Republicans, now say they wear face masks when they leave the house, according to an Axios-Ipsos survey.
A growing number of major retailers, such as Walmart, CVS, Target, Kohl’s, and Starbucks, among others, are now also requiring facial coatings upon entering their stores.
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