We are at a critical point in our fight against COVID. We have finally reached the point in the pandemic when, as a result of mass vaccinations and new case numbers coming down drastically, most states have fully reopened, several are scheduled for June. Only two have set no date.
But there's a catch. Roughly half of the population has not been vaccinated. And what is government's response to this catch? Regarding mask mandates, it ignores the problem.
The general guidance is that if you are fully vaccinated you don't have to wear a mask except in the limited situations defined by the CDC - airplanes, public transportation, etc. By deduction, that means that if you aren't fully vaccinated you should still wear a mask in all situations. But I have not seen a sign anywhere that says, "If you are not fully vaccinated you must wear a mask to enter."
Everyone is operating on an honor system. That is, if someone is not fully vaccinated they will wear a mask.
Clearly in many situations, like stores, it would be impossible to police mask wearing, so one has no choice but to follow the honor system. But at least the sign at the entrance should clearly state that if you are not vaccinated you must wear a mask to enter. Or one could say, recognizing the risk, that everyone still must wear a mask, whether vaccinated or not.
But even at the gym I go to, they are using the honor system. Here it would be very easy to require people to present proof that they are vaccinated when entering the gym.
So what is the problem with an honor system? It sounds very American.
The problem is that many of those who have decided not to be vaccinated, for political or anti-government reasons, are the very people who were against mask mandates to begin with. They will not now voluntarily don a mask because they haven't been vaccinated.
And so you have half of the population that is still highly susceptible to infection by COVID most likely not wearing masks and thereby putting both themselves and those around them at risk. For those who are vaccinated the risk may be relatively low, at least for the infection to be serious, but the risk is still there.
We are thus risking another COVID surge. Granted it may be limited to half the population, but that would still be bad for the economy, schools, our return to normalcy.
At one point, there was discussion about having vaccine passports for entrance to all sorts of venues that put people in close indoor quarters - such as planes, theaters, restaurants. That idea has been discarded because it was felt that it would impinge on people's right of freedom of movement. But does one have a right to risk infecting another individual? No.
Masks mandates should still be mandatory for those who are not fully vaccinated. And in all situations where it is practical, proof of vaccination should be required before being allowed to enter without a mask. Where it is not practical, until we reach herd immunity, everyone should still have to wear a mask.
From a public policy perspective, perhaps such a policy would even encourage some people who weren't going to get vaccinated to get it. That would be helpful.
Bottom line, the government must do what it can to protect us from more damage from this pandemic.
