President Donald Trump has called for a return to normalcy in the midst of the pandemic. (File)
Americans debated mask mandates and school reopening during the coronavirus pandemic on Friday, as state and local authorities imposed conflicting orders and cases increased by more than 70,000 across the country for the second consecutive day.
The United States registered a total of at least 70,674 new COVID-19 infections on Friday after climbing to a record 77,499 a day earlier, the largest increase recorded by any country since the start of the pandemic, according to a report by Reuters.
On Friday, deaths in the United States increased by at least 912, the fourth consecutive day that deaths have exceeded 900 per day.
In the state of Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp sued the mayor of Atlanta to prevent him from wearing masks.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a plan to offer both face-to-face and distance education in the country’s third-largest school district, despite objection from the teachers’ union, which wants education only distance.
Americans have split along political lines over masked orders, with the Conservatives more likely than the Liberals to call the rules a violation of their constitutional rights.
“Everyone says that (wearing a mask) is a violation of their freedom – no, it is not. Because a seatbelt is mandatory and it is to save your life,” said Sharon Taylor, 48, cardiothoracic nurse in Atlanta.
With school scheduled to resume in a few weeks, local authorities across the country have announced plans to resume teaching.
Trump says no to national mask mandate
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has so far authorized school districts in the country’s most populous state to set their own policies, said Friday that schools can only reopen in counties which, for 14 days , remained outside of a worsening trend watch list.
As of Friday, 30 of 58 state counties were on the list and schools are to remain closed. Among them, the counties of Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Diego, which represent nearly 40% of the state’s population.
The U.S. recorded an average of around 60,000 cases a day in July, with cases increasing on Friday in 41 states, according to Reuters analysis. Texas and Arkansas reported a record number of deaths on Friday, while Kansas, Ohio, North Dakota and Puerto Rico reported a record number of infections.
President Donald Trump has called for a return to normalcy, stressing the importance of reviving the economy. The Trump administration and some health experts say children are better off in classrooms for their development and to allow parents to return to work.
Trump told Fox News on Friday that he did not believe in the implementation of a national mask warrant.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease specialist, urged political leaders to “be as energetic as possible to get your citizens to wear masks”.
Miami Beach, Florida has imposed a 8 p.m. curfew in its entertainment district after social media posts show masked revelers crammed into restaurant patios.
Oklahoma City council voted in favor of an indoor mask requirement in the absence of a nationwide mandate.
In Georgia, Kemp – a Republican and Trump supporter – urged all Georgians to wear masks for at least four weeks, but said the warrants were unworkable and suggested that they would hamper the economy.
“Brian Kemp is bidding for President Trump,” Atlanta Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who tested positive for the coronavirus, told CNN on Friday.
Friday, Louis Charles, 68, of Atlanta, sided with the mayor while he was wearing a mask, all alone, sorting his mail in front of a post office.
“It’s not true,” said Charles. “The mayor is trying to help people. It’s a pandemic. How badly does he want it?”
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
