Americans are outraged as Covid-era mask rules appear to be creeping back into everyday life.
This week, a hospital system in Monterey, California, that treats nearly 400,000 patients a year, reinstated a face mask mandate for visitors and patients.
Meanwhile, several Bay Area counties have also scaled back mask rules in healthcare facilities.
And this week, the New York City Health Department again began recommending that people wear a mask while using public transportation.
The new mandates in Monterey and New York prompted angry reactions from many residents, who demanded that health officials “move on” from the Covid era.
One said online: ‘I’m tired of this’, while another said: ‘Isn’t this a joke? Masks don’t work,” and a third said: “Are you still pushing this?”
Another said: ‘I think it’s good for everyone to get back to normal and move on.’
The mandates come as the U.S. enters the annual flu season, which typically begins in October and peaks in December and February.
The New York City Health Department is among those urging people to wear face masks as flu season approaches. It has led to strong reactions among some residents
RETURN OF THE MASKS: US officials quietly reintroduce mask rules (Photo: A woman in Australia in September 2021
California officials said they were ordering efforts to reduce virus spread at their hospital — which they said was especially important because of declining uptake of the Covid and flu vaccines.
Official surveillance shows that there will not be a wave of flu, Covid or other respiratory viruses this year. However, the number of pneumonia cases among children has increased.
The test positivity rate for flu peaked at eight percent on August 10, the data show, but had fallen to 6.6 percent over the past week.
In unveiling the mask mandate for the Monterey Peninsula Community Hospital, infection specialist Dr. Martha Blum said, “Now is the time to really make these preparations and be reminded of what we can do to keep things from really spiraling out of control.” land with a strong increase. .
“As we like to say, Noah built the ark before the flood.”
The New York City Health Department urged people to wear masks, saying, “Wearing a mask in crowded indoor settings can help protect you from viruses like Covid and the flu this season.
“Your mask also protects others when you are sick.”
Mask mandates became a staple in many Democratic states during the Covid pandemic as a way to stop the spread of the virus.
But studies have failed to show that they have reduced the number of infections or deaths.
A major study by the Cochrane Institute found they make ‘little to no difference’ to a person’s risk of contracting Covid.
The above shows flu surveillance by the CDC. The number of tests detecting the virus has remained stable over the past three weeks, as long as data is available
The above is the Covid test positivity rate, or the proportion of tests that detect the virus (green line). This shows that these have decreased since August
The CDC’s map of flu activity by state shows all have low or moderate levels of the virus
Previous studies have also suggested that face masks don’t work in the rain, and may not be necessary on public transport – because repeatedly opening train doors constantly changes the air in the carriage.
At the same time, some experts have suggested that Covid measures such as masking and social distancing could put people – especially children – at greater risk of serious infections.
They say it deprives children of exposure to diseases at a young age, meaning their immune systems may not develop properly.
However, some have reacted positively to the news, with one person saying online: ‘Immune system compromised here. It means a lot to us when people wear masks.”
A second said: ‘thanks for this message!’, and a third added: ‘I wish this was normal. Please let’s take care of our health and each other’.
Flu research by the CDC shows that the share of flu tests detecting the virus has remained at 0.6 percent over the last three weeks of data available.
The CDC also publishes a map of the impact of flu by state, which currently shows that almost every state has minimal activity of the virus. Only three – Indiana, Ohio and Virginia – have low activity.
