Category: mask mandates

Australian State Leader Resists Growing Calls for Mask Mandates Against Omicron

The state of New South Wales (NSW) has broken the national record again for the most COVID-19 cases recorded in one day, at 3,057 in the 24 hours to 8 p.m. on Dec. 20. Despite the record high numbers, ICU numbers remain low compared to Delta outbreak, at 39 in total, of which six were…


Florida Teacher Fired Over Not Wearing a Mask

An 18-year teaching career came to an end for Broward County’s John Alvarez after “repeatedly refusing to wear a mask” on school grounds. Alvarez’s stance was deemed in violation of a school district policy that has since been rescinded. On Dec. 14, members of the Broward County School Board heard recommendations for suspending and then terminating…


Live Q&A: Blue States Concede on Virus Mandates; Salvation Army Goes Woke, Then Broke

The Democrat governor of Colorado has declared that the COVID-19 emergency is now over, and the New York governor has also conceded on enforcing mask mandates in some New York counties. The developments raise questions of whether other Democrat-led states may follow. And meanwhile, the Salvation Army is facing a dire situation as it lacks…


Pennsylvania Supreme Court Ends School Mask Mandate

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court Friday affirmed a Commonwealth Court decision that said Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam did not have the authority to issue a mask mandate for everyone indoors at schools and childcare centers. It means, effective immediately, school mask mandates are no longer mandatory, although many schools have a local rule that students…


Facts Matter (Nov. 16): “Fully Vaccinated” Definition Changes to Include Booster; Analysis Reveals Cloth Masks Not Good

Several researchers spent months poring over the studies used to justify mask mandates, and they found that once you dig into them, there is very little evidence that supports the use of cloth masks in stopping the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, in France, the government recently announced that if you are over the age…


DC to Drop Most Indoor Mask Requirements Next Week

WASHINGTON—The District of Columbia will lift its indoor mask requirement starting next week, as local COVID-19 infection cases continue to trend downward. Starting Monday, Nov. 22, masks will no longer be required in many indoor spaces. A statement from the city Health Department announced that masks will still be required in certain settings, including schools,…


Queensland Announces Sweeping Restrictions for Unvaccinated from Dec. 17

The Queensland government has announced sweeping restrictions for unvaccinated residents, barring them from pubs, clubs, nightclubs, music venues, hotels, bars, restaurants, cafes, sporting venues, and more. The new restrictions start from Dec. 17, when the state is due to reopen its borders, or once 80 percent of Queenslanders aged over 16 are fully vaccinated—whichever comes first….


Bay Area Counties Adopt Shared Guidelines for Lifting Indoor Mask Requirements

SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Public health officials in nine jurisdictions across the Bay Area have announced official criteria for lifting COVID-19 indoor mask requirements. The officials made the announcement on Oct. 7. The counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma, as well as the City of Berkeley, cited the…


Washington State Agencies Sending Separation Notices to Employees Who Have Not Shown Proof of Vaccination

Agencies in Washington state have begun sending out separation notices to employees who have not yet shown proof that they are vaccinated against COVID-19. Department of Licensing spokesperson Nathan Olson told The Seattle Times that it had sent out 66 separation letters on Friday to workers who have not yet submitted proof of vaccination or applied for a vaccine exemption. Department…


Queensland Extends Restrictions to Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Gold Coast After 4 New COVID-19 Cases

The Queensland state government has announced a mask wearing mandate implemented in Brisbane and Moreton Bay yesterday be extended to include the Gold Coast in the state’s southeast on Wednesday. This comes as officials announced one new locally-acquired case on Wednesday morning after announcing four new mystery cases the day before. Despite no new hospitalisations…