You might not like it, it might be uncomfortable and a nuisance, but it's the reality: President Joe Biden started off his presidency by signing mandates for a list of things, one of which regards the wearing of masks in places that are patrolled by the federal government. While many of the mask mandates were previously left up to individual states and their governments to implement at their own discretion, the US government is now cracking down on those who opt for being maskless throughout their day.
These changes come riding in on the confusion that was left by the previous administration, with mask mandates being imposed by some states while others remained lax, refusing to say one way or the other whether state-level guidelines involved wearing masks for the protection of others. Now, President Joe Biden is using the executive power given at a federal level to ensure that many places are now mask-up-only zones. Here's what you need to know about the new rules that are in place.
Which Places Are 'Controlled By The Federal Government?'
While the CDC recommends wearing a mask anytime a person is out in public as well as in their own homes should a person test positive, there are now specific public places where the wearing of a mask is no optional. Those locations being enforced by the federal government are as follows: inside of federal buildings and on federal-owned land, during interstate travel, and on public transportation such as planes, trains, and buses. It's the hope of these mandates since major areas of public transportation do fall under the new rules, that the transmission of COVID-19 will be slowed simply due to the use of masks by everyone. The slowing of transmission, coupled with vaccines, is what will allow us to achieve herd immunity quicker, with the rapid spread and infection rate of the virus eventually slowing down and coming to an end.
There's another area where mask-wearing is now mandated, however: national parks. Since national parks are federal land, across the US, these parks are now mandated mask-on areas, with no loopholes for those visiting. Previously, it was a general guideline that if a person was visiting a park and another hiker, runner, or camper happened to come along, masks would need to be worn by both parties while social distancing is exercised. Now, the rule regarding wearing a mask is non-negotiable, hard and fast, regardless of the social distance or how far away a person might be from others. This will make it harder for those seeking loopholes and looking to get around wearing masks to actually do so, thus encouraging following CDC guidelines or, worst-case scenario, discouraging those who refuse to wear a mask from going out and potentially sickening others.
The Difference Between A Policy And A Mandate
Some people might still be wondering how these mandates are any different from the company policies that are implemented by specific airlines, bus lines, and the parks or buildings themselves. While a policy is still a strict rule, a federal mandate does carry with it far more weight and means more in the eyes of those who disobey the mandate; it means that if a person goes against a company policy, they answer to the company. If a person goes against a federal mandate, they're at the mercy of the federal government which, for the most part, carries with it heavier consequences.
In addition to the mandates regarding masks in federal places, President Joe Biden has also introduced a '100 Days Masking Challenge.' With this challenge, the guidelines are a bit different. The president has asked everyone in the US to abide by, and willingly, commit to wearing a mask for 100 days, at least, in order to slow the spread and counteract the pandemic and its projections. By doing this, not only are citizens held accountable for their actions, but federal workers and contractors are also held accountable, with a lead-by-example mindset and a willingness to show compassion for each person's community by wearing a mask when they're in public.
The president has also called on mayors, business leaders, public health officials, and governors to uphold their end of public safety. This also puts a level of accountibility on the officials themselves, as, once again, the term 'lead by example' is heavily put into use to combat this growing pandemic. These actions are the exact opposite of those by the previous administration, which didn't move to implement many, if any, restrictions in the way of mask mandates.