With COVID being a daily international occurrence for nearly a year, it is only natural for the general public to feel anxious and grow desperate to remove their masks. Especially with the massive growth/popularity of the COVID vaccine, the world feels closer than ever to forever remove these unnatural accessories. However, with the recent resurgence of COVID due to yet another variant (Omicron), mask mandate conversations have heated up.
Traditionally, the conservatives have been more reluctant to mask wear in general (with former president Donald Trump leading the way) and the liberals (led by current president Joe Biden) have supported more mask mandate movements.
Biden has always stressed the use of masks and staying healthy from COVID ever since his run for the Democratic Nomination. When he debated against Trump in the 2020 presidential election, his firm stance on masks sent waves throughout the nation. Trump meanwhile, had controversial comments such as injecting “bleach” into the human body in order to counter the virus. The CDC in fact had to release a public statement specifically asking fellow civilians not to do these actions.
Especially in a state such as our very own Oklahoma, tensions have risen quite exponentially. The New York Times released an article detailing just how much strain the city of Enid is under. While citizens are torn whether to have a mask mandate or not (update: the no-mask won by an extraordinary margin), people are debating that forcing a mask mandate on the people will kill “the Soul of the City”.
Regardless, to stop the outbreak of COVID, people need to begin to take more responsibility. The organization Our World in Data clearly shows that vaccine hesitancy remains rampant in the midwest. Many of these states are more conservative-based. If people are to prevent mask mandates, the least they can do is get vaccinated, not just for the sake of themselves, but for the sake of all.
Sources:
https://www.google.com/search?q=vaccination+rates
Image Credits: Kathryn McNutt
