Category: masks

Deep Dive (May 17): ‘Mask-Erpiece Theater’: Rep. Gibbs Leads 34 Republicans in Urging House Speaker Pelosi to Lift Mask Mandate

Many businesses are scrambling with new challenges after the CDC’s relaxed mask guidelines caught them off guard. Starting Monday, Target and Starbucks joined a growing list of retailers easing mask requirements for fully vaccinated customers. But it still depends on local or state law. Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Publix say no masks are required for…


Orange County Parents Hold ‘Mask Off’ Rally

COSTA MESA, Calif.—About 350 parents and children gathered in front of the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) May 17 to protest schools mandating students to wear masks in classrooms. Kids bustled and played, splashing in puddles, while their parents held signs saying “Unmask our children,” and “just say no to masks.” One child could held a cardboard sign that read…


Orange County Reports 52 New Cases of COVID-19, One Death

SANTA ANA—Orange County reported 52 new cases of COVID-19 and one additional death May 16. The number of coronavirus patients in county hospitals rose from 80 on May 15 to 82, while the number of those patients in intensive care decreased from 25 to 23, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. The county…


CDC Recommends US Schools Continue to Use Masks

Schools in the United States should continue to use masks for the 2020–2021 academic year as all students will not be fully vaccinated, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Saturday. The CDC in its latest guidance said all kindergarten through grade 12 schools “should implement and layer prevention strategies and…


Stores, States Drop Mask Mandates in Wake of CDC’s Updated Guidance

States and stores on Friday said they were largely dropping their mask requirements after a top U.S. health agency advised that people fully vaccinated against the virus that causes COVID-19 could stop donning face coverings. The governors of at least 10 states and officials at a slew of retail giants, like Walmart, announced they would…


CDC: Fully Vaccinated People Don’t Have to Wear Masks Inside

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday eased mask-wearing guidance and said that people vaccinated against COVID-19 can stop wearing masks inside most places. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said there are instances where individuals may need to wear masks such as in a healthcare setting or at a business that requires…


Amherst Students Suspended for Being Maskless Outdoors, Off-Campus

A social media photograph of three UMass Amherst freshmen—outdoors, off-campus, and not not wearing face masks—was sent to the university’s administration and led to their being suspended for the semester.


UMass Amherst Students Suspended for Being Maskless Outdoors, Off-Campus

A social media photograph of three UMass Amherst freshmen—outdoors, off-campus, and not not wearing face masks—was sent to the university’s administration and led to their being suspended for the semester.


New Jersey School Nurse Suspended After Saying Masks Are Harmful to Students

A school nurse in New Jersey said she has been suspended after refusing to wear her mask at work and suggesting that requiring children to wear masks all the time is doing more harm than good. Erin Pein, who has been working at Stafford Township School District for the past three years, said in a…


People Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 Don’t Need to Wear Masks Outdoors: CDC

People who have been fully vaccinated against the virus that causes COVID-19 are no longer being advised to wear masks outdoors. People who have gotten two Moderna or Pfizer shots, or the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, can conduct a range of activities outside without wearing a mask, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…