Posted on 02/09/2022 12:54:42 PM PST by algore
America's blue states are increasingly chasing normalcy, especially when it comes to face mask rules meant to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The latest: New York and Rhode Island on Wednesday joined New Jersey, Delaware, California and other states that have recently announced an end date for mask requirements and other COVID restrictions.
Recent announcements made include:
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Wednesday the state will drop its indoor mask mandate and a requirement that businesses ask customers for proof of vaccination starting Thursday.
"At this time, we say it is the right decision to lift this mandate for indoor business, and let counties, cities and businesses to make their own decisions on what they want to do with respect to masks or the vaccination requirement," Hochul said, citing decline cases and hospitalizations. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) said Wednesday that he hopes to lift the mask mandate for indoor settings, with some exceptions, by the end of the month.
The plan, which Prizker is set to unveil later Wednesday, will reportedly not include an end to the indoor mask mandate in schools. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (D) also announced Wednesday that the statewide mask mandate and vaccine proof policy for businesses and venues would end on Feb. 11. He plans to lift the statewide school indoor mask requirement on March 4.
"Thank you, Rhode Island for coming together during the winter surge by getting vaccinated, getting boosted, and wearing your mask indoors," McKee said. Massachusetts' department of education, meanwhile, said Wednesday it will lift its school mask mandate on Feb. 28.
"With Massachusetts a national leader in vaccinating kids, combined with our robust testing programs, it is time to lift the mask mandate in schools and give students and staff a sense of normalcy after dealing with enormous challenges over the past two years," Governor Charlie Baker (R) said in a statement. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced earlier this week that his state is unwinding school mask mandates that have been in place for the entire pandemic.
"We are not going to manage COVID to zero," tweeted Gov. Phil Murphy. "We have to learn how to live with COVID as we move from a pandemic to an endemic phase of this virus."
What we’re hearing: Murphy knows he has to sell this plan to a lot of nervous parents. We're told he plans to watch the data from schools every day and is banking on his past willingness to react to data. But his top goal is to restore a sense of normalcy.
California health officials said Monday that the state will lift its indoor mask mandate after Feb. 15.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/4036224/posts
Just in time for midterms.
Researchers say wearing ladies tights on your face could slash your risk of getting Covid.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/4036224/posts
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker is ending one of his COVID-19 mask mandates and modifying another.
“The intention is to lift the mask mandate in indoor locations by Feb. 28," Pritzker revealed at an unrelated news conference Wednesday morning in Champaign. "Of course, we still have the sensitive locations of K-12 schools, where we have lots of people who are joined together in smaller spaces, thousands of people interacting in one location at a time. And so that’s something that will come weeks hence."
Pritzker is expected to expand on his modified mask mandate during a news conference in Chicago Wednesday afternoon.
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, criticized the governor’s go-it-alone dictates that supermajority Democrats have left untouched. He said he has not been briefed by the governor on the plan.
“This is the typical approach of the governor over the past two years,” Durkin said during an unrelated news conference Wednesday. "I don't know what he plans to say today, but I hope he does what other Democratic governors throughout the nation are doing saying that the masks are done. Let's get back to business as usual. Let's let business operators finally get back to work. Let's let parents and children go back to schools without having to deal with this mask situation."
Durkin sent Pritzker a letter Tuesday, criticizing the governor for not being transparent in managing state government reaction to the pandemic. Wednesday, he said he will continue to challenge the governor's dictates.
"That's my responsibility and my job," Durkin said. "And it's also the same responsibility for the Democrats' side of the aisle as well."
Messages seeking comment from the offices of Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, D-Hillside, and Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, were not returned.
Pritzker’s mask mandate in schools, along with exclusion policies and vaccine and testing mandates on teachers, was deemed null and void by a Sangamon County Circuit Court judge Friday. The judge said the governor’s orders seemed to attempt to circumvent due process rights to challenge issues of quarantine. Pritzker has appealed the temporary restraining order as the underlying issues work through the court process.
The governor lifted his mask mandate for everyone indoors last summer for a few weeks, but then reimplemented the mandate after an about face from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC had then said masks for vaccinated people weren’t necessary indoors. Pritkzer followed suit, lifting his mandate, even in schools. The CDC then reversed their recommendations back to masking up indoors, saying even vaccinated people can spread COVID-19. Even after that, Pritzker said it would be up to local schools. After schools across the state approved mask-optional policies, the governor then reissued his mandate for schools.
The campaign of Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who's seeking the Republican nomination for governor for the right to challenge Pritzker in the November election, sent a statement before the governor's announcement.
“A few short days ago, this Governor refused to end mandates saying we needed to ‘follow the science’ but today says everyone can remove their masks except the lowest risk population," Irvin said in a statement. "Illinois is being led by a Governor who puts politics and special interests ahead of parents and their children. Enough is enough.”
Suburban businessman Gary Rabine, who also is running in the Republican primary for governor, also weighed in.
"Illinois kids and parents go into day five of J.B. Pritzker’s mask mandate mess, Rabine said in a statement. "Today, he will compound the chaos by beginning to lift the mandate for the general public but keep it in place for schools. Other states, including those with Democratic Governors, have figured this out. But when politics, not people, are your main concern as Governor, this is what happens. COVID chaos and a crime epidemic are Pritzker’s legacy. It’s time to take our state back."
Greg Bishop
Illinois Editor
The Center Square
Did "the science" just do a one-eighty?
More like they are following the polls. Something tells me the recent polling has a good share of them unemployed after the next election.
Vaccine mandates need to be ditched (wherever they’re still in effect) as well.
No, the science has been pointing to this for a while. This is the politicians catching up to the science now that they are realizing that their gaslighting is turning the public against them.
...agree...! and when will these face-diaper mandates be removed from America’s airports...? and the airliners that fly in and out of them...? somehow, I don’t feel very optimistic about that.....I predict that one year from now, when this COVID B.S. has attained the status of the seasonal flu, people will still be wearing their masks, alone in their cars, with the windows rolled up tight....
The masked solo drivers always make me laugh.
Still, in NevaDUH........crickets.
🔬😨😷💉🐂💨💩💸
NYS is still muzzling its publik skrewl kids.
“Pritzker’s mask mandate in schools, along with exclusion policies and vaccine and testing mandates on teachers, was deemed null and void by a Sangamon County Circuit Court judge Friday. The judge said the governor’s orders seemed to attempt to circumvent due process rights to challenge issues of quarantine. Pritzker has appealed the temporary restraining order as the underlying issues work through the court process.”
What legal effect does this have as my wife’s elementary school is still enforcing stringent mask mandates. Removed a “maskless” teacher yesterday.
Just went to a Costco in Sacramento area. Looked like 99.9% mask compliance. Canada truckers should come down and conquer us.
"Son, you got a panty on your head"
Costco Walmart & supermarkets seems to be mask dominant areas.
“let counties, cities and businesses to make their own decisions”
Like other rules, lawa, and rights in The People’s Republic of New York. it depends . . .
Carry? Depends.
Mask? Depends.
BLM Tee Shirt in a polling place? Depends.
Depends if we say you can
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