In the United States, wearing masks during the Pandemic has been a divisive issue. Rules in some places have been thrown into chaos because of the federal judge's decision to throw out the mask mandate. Many were lifted and a few were reimposed.
Even though the changes cause some confusion, Americans are still passionate about the restrictions. Some people who are already in the habit of hiding in public are angry at the loss of the protection they have relied on. Others are happy that the bands behind their ears are gone.
Patrick McDonnell, a 30-year-old architect from Brooklyn, described his feelings as "ecstatic" and "Enough is enough."
Adults should be able to make their own decisions about the risks they are willing to take. He said that he should no longer have to alter his behavior to accommodate others because vaccines and treatments are now available for Covid-19.
He said he wants to get back to living his life.
The New York Times called out thousands of people to ask if they would continue to hide if the mandate was lifted, and if they were reconsidering travel plans. The respondents are not from the U.S. population.
Public opinion surveys before the court ruling were mixed. According to a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in March, eight in 10 adults said they had worn a mask indoors recently, but only six in 10 people wanted mask-wearing in some public spaces to prevent another surge of Covid. The poll found that respondents were evenly split on whether to extend the mask mandate for public transportation or not. People of color, lower-income individuals and those with chronic health problems were more likely to favor masking policies.
A survey of 1,085 adults by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research in April found that 56 percent of respondents favored requiring masks on public transportation, while about one-fourth opposed them and a fifth had no opinion either way.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not have the authority to impose the mask mandate for transportation, which was set to expire in May.
Some cities have decided to keep their mask mandates in place, despite the fact that the rules do not appear to be enforced much. Most of the states and cities that had imposed mask restrictions for indoor gatherings have now lifted them. Public transportation remained one of the last holdouts because some Southern and Western states had forbidden any type of masking rule.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic made mask-wearing optional, unless the destination required masks, even though Britain dropped its coronaviruses travel restrictions last month. masks are optional on flights to the United States.
Older individuals, parents of young children and those with family members in poor health were incensed by the lifting of the mandate and said it would prevent them from seeing loved ones after they had been separated for two Many young men boasting of their good health were the most vocal in their enthusiasm for ending the mandate. Lifting the rules was said to be inevitable.
Even in tight quarters like airplanes and as cases of Omicron subvariants began rising around the country a month or so ago, resistance to masks had been building. The readers who responded to The Times were worried about the increase in hospitalizations and deaths. They called the judge's decision irresponsible and premature.
Several wrote in warning that we are not out of the woods yet. Parents of young children are concerned because they are not eligible for a vaccine and one might not be available before summer.
The mandate was supposed to remain in place until Covid shots were approved for the youngest children, according to a mother of three from North Carolina.
The promise of returning to normal was dependent on vaccinations, and we still have a lot of vulnerable children.
When the rules changed midflight, people who had boarded planes or made travel plans with the understanding that there was a mask mandate were angry. John Barcelo, 81, a retired law professor, booked a return flight back to California on April 18th, when the mask mandate was supposed to be in place.
While they were flying from the Dallas-Fort Worth airport to their home in New Orleans, the mandate was struck down and American Airlines announced that it was no longer requiring masks. Some passengers cheered, but Mr. Barcelo and his wife felt vulnerable.
He said that people took their masks off, not thinking about anyone else but themselves.
The rule change was not answered by American Airlines.
Travelers said that masks were a nuisance and that it was time to move on. They said that the Covid virus did not pose a big risk now that vaccines and treatments had been developed.
Kelly Johnson is an education consultant from southeastern Virginia who travels by plane for work. She said she would abide by any masking rules that are in place but that, at this point, people should have the option of wearing a mask or not.
Most people don't wear high-quality masks and don't wear them properly because they have the health of an 18-year-old, according to Chris Stapleton.
Peter Ciopryna has a wife who is on medication that suppresses the immune system after she was recently diagnosed with a disease. Mr. Ciopryna said that no one cared about the immuno-compromised. She lives in fear.
Americans were sad and disappointed that a consensus could not be reached for the sake of the nation.
The Rev. Chip Lee said that a true sense of community responsibility no longer exists in this country.
Some people who lost loved ones to Covid were ready to give up their masks.
She lost her mother to the virus, but has recovered and is not afraid of illness. She said there was a responsibility to others.
Some people said they would keep their masks on. Some people said they would be canceling their plans to attend family events. Mr. Barcelo said they would be driving instead of flying this summer. Emerald North, a painter and sculptor from Cochiti Lake, N.M., said she would be willing to drive up to 1,000 miles to avoid flying.
Some people who can afford to do so said they would upgrade to first class or business class to make better use of planes and trains.
Others are changing their plans. Dr. Ellen Tabor, a doctor in New York City who works at a nonprofit, dropped her plans for a trip to Italy in order to minimize her risk of exposure. She will be in Columbia County, New York.
The virus is a big one and masks are one small burden.
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