With Mask Restrictions Set to Lift, a Haze of Uncertainty Lingers
The New York Times
Public health experts agree that school mask mandates should not last forever, but differ on whether the time has come to remove them.
As the Omicron surge begins to recede in many regions of the country, the governors of New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware have announced that they will lift school mask mandates in the coming weeks.
But the move to loosen these politically charged restrictions has divided scientists and public health experts. Some cheered the change.
“I think it’s entirely appropriate that we start lifting school mask mandates now,” said Joseph Allen, a Harvard University researcher who studies indoor environmental quality, including in schools. “We’re in a much better place than we were before, and it’s time to update our strategies to reflect the moment.”