Covid masks are making a comeback in various aspects of American life. Rutgers University in New Jersey and Morris Brown College in Atlanta have recently announced mandatory face coverings for their staff and students. Hospitals such as Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa, California, and Upstate Community Hospital in Syracuse, New York have also reintroduced mask mandates for doctors, nurses, patients, and visitors. Even Hollywood studio Lionsgate has reimposed face masks in its offices. The resurgence of masks is a response to concerns about Covid variants BA.2.86 and ‘Eris’, which health experts say can infect vaccinated individuals. Additionally, there has been a significant increase in Covid cases in the United States.
There have been rumors circulating about the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) potentially reintroducing face masks on planes. However, Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna has requested clarification from the TSA regarding these allegations. Despite the rumors, the TSA has denied any plans to impose new restrictions and stated that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leads the federal agency responsible for masking requirements.
While some experts question the necessity of wearing masks again, others argue that virtually everyone now has some level of immunity against the virus, and there is no evidence to suggest that the new variants will cause more severe disease. Doctors have observed that although they are seeing more patients, these individuals are experiencing milder forms of the virus compared to earlier in the pandemic.
In response to rising Covid cases and more transmissible variants, Kaiser Permanente and Upstate Community Hospital have reintroduced mask mandates for their facilities. Kaiser Permanente serves 12.7 million people per year and emphasizes the importance of getting vaccinated against the virus. Upstate Community Hospital, which serves 1.8 million people annually, now requires mandatory masking in clinical areas and strongly recommends masking in non-clinical areas. The hospital has also implemented Covid testing for all admitted patients.
In addition to educational institutions and healthcare facilities, Morris Brown College and Lionsgate have also reinstated mask mandates. Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia now requires masks for staff and students in hallways and lecture halls. Lionsgate, the Hollywood studio known for producing films like Saw and the Hunger Games series, has ordered nearly half of its employees to wear masks again in their Santa Monica offices.
As concerns grow about rising Covid cases and new variants, experts are calling for mask usage in crowded places. Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a cardiologist in Washington D.C., suggests that high-risk individuals, including those over 65 years old, should resume wearing masks. He also recommends that President Joe Biden, who is 80 years old, wear a mask during campaign events and in crowded situations. Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist at the Scripps Translational Research Institute, concurs and advises wearing masks in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation.
Surveillance data indicates that Covid infections in the U.S. have nearly doubled in the past month due to the presence of highly mutated variants. Hospitalizations have increased for five consecutive weeks but remain significantly lower than the levels seen at this time last year. However, Covid deaths have remained stable, hovering around record low levels.
There is particular concern about the new Covid variant BA.2.86, which has more than 30 mutations on its spike protein. These mutations make it distinct from currently dominant strains and potentially more adept at evading the immune system. While there have been several cases of BA.2.86 in the U.S., experts draw parallels to the emergence of the Omicron variant and emphasize the need to be cautious.
Overall, with the resurgence of Covid cases and the presence of new variants, the use of masks is being reinstated in various settings as a precautionary measure to protect individuals and mitigate the spread of the virus.
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