Given the prevalence of cases of the delta variant of the coronavirus in the United States, officials are establishing new rules for wearing the mask, and some employers and restaurant owners have even begun to require proof of vaccination from their clients.
The United States is facing an increase in Covid-19 cases, due to its more contagious delta variant. More than 200 employees have been infected at two hospitals in San Francisco. According to The New York Times, most of them were fully vaccinated. Over the weekend, Florida broke its one-day record for the number of new cases, recording over 21,000 infections.
“In fact, we are facing a very serious public health challenge, with a virus that has an extraordinary ability to spread rapidly from one person to another.” says the White House health adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Considering that 100 million Americans have not been vaccinated, officials are trying to take new measures. Last week, President Joe Biden announced that federal workers should be vaccinated, or face mandatory testing, a move that some workers ‘unions criticized, considering it a violation of workers’ rights by the government.
Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone, even those vaccinated, wear the mask indoors, where the chances of transmitting the virus are high. The House Doctor has made it mandatory to wear the mask for all Congressional staff. Some lawmakers criticized the new rule, which does not affect the Senate.
“The CDC has become a political arm of the administration and wants to control every aspect of our lives.” said the leader of the Republican minority in the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy.
New public health recommendations could violate people’s personal freedom, says Dr. Fauci, but also their non-implementation may be a violation of the rights of individuals.
“If you become infected, even if you do not show symptoms, you can infect another person who may be vulnerable and seriously ill. “So, basically, you are violating their individual rights because you are endangering them.” says the White House health adviser.
Changing the rules can have a positive effect. According to CNN reports, the vaccination rate in the United States increased 21% last week compared to the previous three weeks. The increase in vaccination rates is even higher in some southern states, which have the lowest vaccination rates in the country.