Mandates to wear masks are linked to a lower number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a report issued Friday, the agency said that mandating masks was linked to a decrease in daily COVID-19 case and death growth rates within 20 days of implementation. Researchers compared county-level changes in COVID-19 case and death growth rates relative to mandate implementation. They found mandates linked to a 0.5 percentage point decrease in daily case growth rates one to 20 days after implementation and decreases of 1.1, 1.5, 1.7, and 1.8 percentage points 21–40, 41–60, 61–80, and 81–100 days, respectively, after implementation. Researchers also found mandates associated with a 0.7 percentage point decrease in daily death rates one to 20 days after implementation and decreases of 1.0, 1.4, 1.6, and 1.9 percentage points 21–40, 41–60, 61–80, and 81–100 days, respectively, after implementation. COVID-19 is the …