Mask: leaders and companies in the US defend its use

Biden criticizes "Neanderthal thinking" of Texas and others 0:48

(CNN) - US

leaders and companies have shown their rejection of various states removing face mask mandates by doubling down on their commitment to enforce covid-19 precautions as variants continue to cause concern.

This week, Texas and Mississippi joined the list of states that are expanding their business capacity and lifting mandates for residents to wear masks.

A representative for the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, said the mandates were no longer necessary, but that it was urgent to restore livelihoods and normalcy.

Although infection, hospitalization and death rates have declined in many states since January, tens of thousands of Americans are still infected daily and more communicable variants have spread, threatening another spike.

For that reason, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear called on residents to stand their ground.

"Please continue to wear a mask, what other states are doing is reckless," he said.

"We've seen them do it before, they paid the price."

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And in Texas, many companies still encourage the use of masks.

Grocery store chain HEB said Thursday that employees will still need to wear face masks and that customers will be asked to wear them.

The Texas Restaurant Association will also continue to encourage the use of masks, as well as regular cleanings and health checks, the association said in a statement.

• These are the US states that do not require the use of a mask

"It is only by working together as operators, employees, customers and Texans that we can finally turn the page and resurface from this pandemic," their statement said.

In Mississippi, Greenville Mayor Errick D. Simmons told CNN's Anderson Cooper that Governor Tate Reeves' decision to relax restrictions was "premature and reckless."

"We are at a crucial moment in the fight against this disease and the path is not clear," explained Simmons.

We cannot relax.

We cannot loosen the restrictions.

We cannot lift the mandates for the use of masks.

We cannot lower our guard.

When the United States can stop using a mask and other measures, according to Fauci

Dr Anthony Fauci said the decision by some states to remove mask mandates and allow companies to open at full capacity was "inexplicable."

The United States should not relax current restrictions to prevent covid-19 before the number of new coronavirus cases falls below 10,000 a day, "and even much less than that," the director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases.

The last time the US reported fewer than 10,000 new daily cases was almost a year ago, on March 22, 2020. The number has not fallen below 50,000 daily cases since mid-October, and the seven-day average on Wednesday it was over 64,000.

It will back off, Fauci predicted.

“Now we get to around 2 million vaccinations per day.

That means that every day that passes, every week that passes, there are more and more people protected.

Measures to make vaccines more equitable

As the United States rushes to vaccinate as many Americans as possible, the doses have not been evenly distributed.

But using community health centers, pharmacies and mobile vaccine units, the United States is taking concrete steps to address inequity, Fauci said.

The United States has implemented "community vaccination centers, about 440 of them, with a clear recognition that we have to locate them, geographically, in those areas where the demographics are heavily skewed toward minority populations," Fauci said.

"They cannot be in places that are completely inaccessible."

Some minority populations "find themselves in situations where they are in deserts ... deserts without pharmacies, deserts without food stores, deserts without medical care," Fauci noted.

“They don't have a car to get to where they need to be.

They don't have a computer to sign up for something.

One solution is to use mobile vaccination units to get the vaccine to people living in relatively inaccessible areas, Fauci said.

"In summary, it is a very high priority that we put equity in the implementation of these programs, be it vaccines, medical care, treatments when available," Fauci said.

"It has to be done fairly."

Pressure to vaccinate teachers and reopen schools

Many states are prioritizing vaccinating teachers and school personnel to reopen schools safely as soon as possible.

There are now 38 states, in addition to the capital, Washington, that allow teachers to receive the covid-19 vaccine.

And two more may soon be added to the list.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said those who work in education and child care will be among 300,000 to 400,000 new residents who will be eligible for the vaccine next week.

And state officials in Rhode Island will likely announce a plan next week to "vaccinate all teachers and school personnel," Gov. Daniel McKee said.

But even with those efforts underway, it's important for school officials to familiarize themselves with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) school opening guidelines, he said. director Rochelle Walensky.

That would mean reusing rooms with more space or moving classroom furniture so students can maintain a separation, he said.

“I think the covid will be with us for a while, maybe not exactly the way we have seen it last year, but we will have to make some changes in our day-to-day life in the months ahead, and it is very important that our children go back to school, ”Walensky said.

So lean on the guide and follow those steps.

CNN's Rebekah Riess, Keith Allen, Hollie Silverman, Lauren Mascarenhas, Alec Snyder, Melissa Alonso, Jessica Firger, Elizabeth Stuart, and Taylor Romine contributed to this report.

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